Labyrinth
by Bekki Sue
Summary: If you read the last chapter on Wednesday night, READ IT AGAIN. Something got messed up when I uploaded and ALOT didn't save! O.o
1. Default Chapter

Labyrinth  
  
Notes: Hey everybody! I'm back! Bwahaha. Well, this is a story that I have been co-writing with my bestest onee-chan, Kattie. ^_^ We've been working on this for a VERY long time, and we already have TONS written! Here's the prologue, kinda short, but the first chapter will be much longer. ^_^ Hope you enjoy, and PLEASE review! ^_^  
  
Prologue  
  
Minako ran ahead of the other senshi. The premonitions of evil   
were all   
about her mind, almost to the point of driving her insane.  
Although the chances of her death were great, Minako calmly   
lingered   
ahead of the others. As the leader of the senshi, it was her duty, as   
well   
as her honor, to protect her princess with her life.  
Her muscles tightened and her back ached from tension. The   
evil was   
drawing closer as it grew stronger. "Venus Love Chain Encircle,"   
remained on   
her lips, as it longed to be spoken.  
Minako recoiled as a wall in front of her opened, revealing a   
staircase.   
"Hey, guys! There's a staircase here! I'm going to go see where it   
leads   
to." She said over her communicator.  
"No, Minako-chan. Wait for us. It's not safe to go down there   
alone.   
This place is a Labyrinth." Usagi replied.  
Minako smiled. "Thanks for the concern Usa-chan, but I'll be fine   
on my   
own. You're not that far behind me anyway."  
"Okay, but be careful."  
Minako cautiously climbed the first couple of steps. The wall   
slammed   
shut behind her. She shrieked and raced back to the wall, banging on   
it.  
It was solid rock. Minako was trapped.  
Her first notion was to inform the other senshi of this happening,   
but   
the more she thought about it, the less she believed this plan's   
intelligence.  
'I don't want to worry them,' she thought, 'And I'll be okay.'  
She continued up the stairs.  
  
1 hour later  
She continued up the stairs.  
  
3 hours later  
And continued.  
Minako sat down on the stairs. She opened her communicator,   
panting from   
exhaustion. "Guys?" she asked.  
The only reply she received was a staticy noise.   
"Are you there?" she questioned.  
Frustrated, Minako put the communicator away and lay down on the   
steps.   
Exhaustion covered her thoughts, and soon she was asleep.  
She didn't even notice the approaching evil.  
  
A dark figure smiled at the image of the young senshi. So   
defenseless.  
It would be a sin to not take this opportunity.  
When the senshi of Venus woke up, she would be in a new dimension.   
A   
place not of this world.  
  
In a flash of light, she was gone.  
  
  
Notes: Did ya like it? Now, with the way that we wrote this, the formatting in the later chapters might look kinda funky, but you guys are smart, ne? Anyhoo, please review now! We weren't going to post this at first, it was just for our own fun, but if we get lots of reviews, we'll post the rest(we already have more than 100k written!)! Yay! ^_^ 


	2. Chapter One

Labyrinth  
  
Notes: Hey peoples! Here's the first chapter! Luckily for you, it's ten pages long! YAY! ^_^ Just a warning, at first, Kattie and I had NO intentions of posting this, it was just for fun, so the plot may not develope very quickly. Don't worry though! It's VERY sweet! All you hopeless romantics rejoice! *grin* Anyway, enjoy!  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
Minako woke up to the sound of gunshots. She bolted straight up and looked at her  
surroundings. She tried her hardest not to scream. 'Where am I?' she wondered as she picked  
herself up off of the ground.   
  
She was no longer in that dark cave. She was now staring down a long corridor that seemed to  
go on forever. She heard more gunshots and yelling down in one direction and decided to head  
the other way. Every step that she took clicked, courtesy of her high-heeled shoes. However she  
decided against taking them off, because the floor was ice cold. "Numb feet aren't fast feet." she  
mumbled to herself, trying to stay calm.  
  
She walked calmly and slowly, trying not to make too much noise, but another gunshot, much  
closer this time, caused her to jump back, letting out a small yelp.  
  
She heard footsteps coming her direction. She didn't know who it was, but decided against  
finding out. Maybe she could find someone else to help her. Preferably someone who didn't  
have a gun.  
  
She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. 'Well, at least I'm getting a great workout out of all  
this.' Minako thought to herself, trying to make the best out of the situation. Needless to say, it  
didn't help. Her stupid shoes made too much noise. She would be very easy to follow.  
  
She had no other choice. She had to take them off. She slowed to a stop and fumbled with the  
straps. "Just great..." she mumbled. "The one day that my shoes get stuck....."  
  
She didn't even hear that the footsteps had stopped, very close to her. She had finally managed  
to get one shoe off when she heard a voice. "Don't move!" it said. The voice was followed by a  
click. Minako's heart sank as she realized what that click was.  
  
  
Hiiro glared at the girl. She was probably an undercover agent   
for Oz.   
He could think of no other option as to who she was. It was obvious   
that she   
was not a civilian- though wishing to look like one- due to the fact   
that no   
civilian would be moronic enough to play with their shoes at a time   
like   
this. She couldn't be an ally, because he had not been informed of   
this.   
That left one option...  
"Omae o korosu." Hiiro stated. His finger tightened on the   
trigger.  
  
  
Minako froze in fear. This was definitely not her day! She stared at the man for a moment, then  
did the only thing that she could think of to do.  
  
Without warning, she tossed her shoe straight at his gun, knocking it out of his hand. He cursed  
as a shocked look covered his face.  
  
Minako didn't wait for him to get his gun back. She just ran like hell. It was however a bit  
akward, seeing as how she had only one shoe on.   
  
She ran for what seemed like forever when she decided to turn down another corridor. 'I'll lose  
him.' she thought. 'He's way behind me.'  
  
'Left, right, right, left, right.' she said to herself for every turn she made. She didn't know how  
she would find her way out of this place, but she didn't care at the time.  
  
A smile finally appeared on her face as she realized that there would be no way for that crazy  
gunman to find her now. However her smiled faded when she reached a dead end.  
  
She turned around, and headed towards the next turn, but while rounding the corner, she bumped  
into someone.  
  
  
  
Wufei's eyes widened as he fell backwards on to the hard pavement.   
She   
had to be highly trained- for he had not heard her coming- and he was   
well   
trained. Angrily, Wufei raised to his feet- pointing his gun at her.  
"You are weak...."  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Quatre raced around a corner... and straight into an Oz agent. The   
most   
intelligent thing to do would be to shoot the agent and continue   
running.   
But the agent was young- not even twenty- and though older than Quatre-   
still   
had a life to live.  
"Freeze!" The Oz agent yelled, sticking his gun against Quatre's   
head.  
  
Elsewhere  
  
"Not another one..." Minako mumbled as she looked down the barrel of Wufei's gun.  
  
"Don't move, onna!" the man said, tightening his grip on the gun.  
  
'What should I do?!?!' Minako thought. She had no idea how on earth she could have such bad  
luck! She figured that her best way out would be the same way that she got away from that other  
maniac.  
  
*smack* That sound was followed by a clatter, then a loud yell.  
  
Minako wasted no time in getting away. She sped down the corridor yet again, as the injured  
soldier experienced the pain of being kicked in the hand with a high-heeled shoe.  
  
She ran and ran until she stopped for a moment to take off her last shoe. Luckily, it came off  
easily. She decided to keep them with her for now. 'They may prove as useful weapons...' she  
thought.  
  
Rounding yet another corning, she stopped when she saw two figures a ways down the hall. She  
was about to run in the other direction when she noticed that one of the people was holding a  
gun to the other's head.   
  
She may not have known where she was, but she was still a Sailor Senshi, protector of the  
innocent. She had to do something. She tip-toed in their direction. Her stocking feet helped her  
to not be heard.  
  
She was only a few feet away, when the blonde who was being held noticed her. His eyes  
widened and she placed a finger over her lips, begging him to be quiet. Creeping up slowly, she  
finally stopped as she was right behind the OZ soldier.  
  
Raising a shoe high above him, the soldier noticed her too late. He turned around just as she  
brought the shoe down with a mighty force. He fell down to the ground unconscious.  
  
"Who said that you can't fight in heels?!?!" Minako asked no one in particular with a smile on  
her face.  
  
Quatre smiled sweetly at his savior. "Thank you." he said   
gratefully.   
Acting quickly, he checked the soldier's pulse. He breathed a sigh of   
relief   
when he felt it beating.  
"I'm sorry, miss. But I don't have the time for a proper   
introduction   
right now." Quatre said as he pulled the soldier over to a wall where   
the   
gunfire would not hit him.   
  
  
Duo tiptoed around the corner. There was no need for this pilot to   
run.   
Nobody had found the God of Death yet. He grinned when he saw Quatre.   
'Good. He's okay,' Duo thought. THEN he noticed the babe next to him.   
'That   
is SOOO unfair.'   
  
Wufei rubbed his hand. 'Weak woman,' he thought, 'using a shoe as   
a   
weapon.'  
  
Trowa ran as quickly as he could through the building. Himself   
being the   
one holding the file they had come here to get- he was the most likely   
to get   
shot. And with about 20 OZ agents shooting at him, there was a VERY   
good   
chance.   
Ahead of him Quatre came into view.   
  
Quatre looked up as he heard the gunshots. He took the girl's hand   
and   
helped her up. "Please escape, ma'am. You're kind and deserve a   
longer   
life."   
  
Minako looked at the boy for a moment. He had the most beautiful blue eyes. They radiated  
kindness and innocence. 'What's he doing in a place like this?' she wondered.  
  
"Now go!" she heard him shout. However she didn't move.  
  
"Let me help you! I don't even know where I am! I have nowhere to go! Besides, my shoes may  
come in handy." she said.  
  
Quatre sighed. He didn't have time for this. He looked past her and saw that the soldiers were  
even closer. He had no choice. "Come on!" he shouted as he grabbed her hand and darted down  
the hall.  
  
Bullets flew all around them. Quatre was used to this but the girl   
running beside him looked horrified. He smiled comfortingly. "Don't   
worry,"   
he said, "I'll protect you." A bullet grazed the side of Quatre's   
face,   
causing it to bleed. He pushed the girl ahead of him. 'At least now   
the   
bullets won't hit her. Better me than her. Civilians shouldn't need   
to be   
casualties.'  
  
Minako stumbled on her long skirt. She really wished that she had taken the time to transform.   
She was so confused that the thought had never entered her mind.   
  
She glanced back at the boy and gasped as she noticed that his face was bleeding. However he  
wouldn't let her stop. He made sure that she kept running.   
  
They ran for what seemed like hours. Minako was so tired. All she had done was run. She had  
no more energy left in her. She started to slow down, unwillingly. She tried her hardest to go  
faster, but she couldn't. Then, she finally collapsed into Quatre's arms.  
  
Quatre fastened the girl tightly in his arms and continued running.   
'She's so light.' he thought.   
"You need to put her down, Quatre," Duo explained, "she's slowing   
you   
down. It wouldn't do her any good if you got shot."  
"I can't just leave her here," Quatre stated, "she seems to be a   
civilian." He quickened his pace to keep up with Duo. His chest   
burned from   
his lungs exhaustion. Pain sliced through his legs. 'Keep running,'   
he told   
himself, 'for her sake.'  
  
After what seemed like hours, Quatre finally reached his gundam.   
Once   
inside, he set the girl down on the cockpit's seat. He stood while   
controlling the mobile suit, which made it harder- throwing him towards   
the   
floor at times. But it was okay, as long as the girl was safe.  
"Hey, Quatre," Duo said, "I think there's an error in the   
calculations.   
Your life-force count is really high."  
"Well... there's two people in here." Quatre explained.  
Duo's eyes bulged on the screen. "Ex-CUUUUUUUSE me? TWOOOOO? As   
in MORE   
THAN ONE!? You took the girl into your gundam! Bad idea, man!   
HUUUUUGE   
mistake! Hiiro's gonna kill you!"  
"I couldn't just leave her there!" Quatre said in his defense.  
"Maybe there's still time to take her back? Or leave her on one of   
those   
satellites? The moon's pretty close.... Then Hiiro wouldn't kill you!   
Quatre, are you there? Hey! Quat-" Duo's talking was cut off as   
Quatre   
turned of the communication system.  
He turned to the girl and looked at her face. She was so   
beautiful... He   
couldn't hide the fact. Her blonde hair cascaded over her back in one   
magnificent wave. It was tied back by a large cherry colored bow. But   
what   
seemed very strange was that she was wearing a schoolgirl uniform.  
'What was a schoolgirl doing in an OZ base?' he wondered. Quatre   
felt   
his questions would soon be answered, as the girl started to awaken.  
  
Minako opened her eyes slowly, trying to adjust to the light. She could feel that she was sitting  
up. She finally opened her eyes completely and saw the same blonde boy standing over her,  
fumbling with some buttons and switches.....he was obviously having a hard time.   
  
"Where am I?" she murmured.  
  
Quatre smiled at the girl. "You're on my gundam." he explained.   
He   
handed her his safety kit. "I'm sorry I can't be of much help to you   
right   
now. But I hope this may help you recover from any injuries you may   
have   
gotten."  
With her eyes open Quatre noticed their beautiful color. They were   
as   
blue as the ocean. He stuck out his hand. "My name's Quatre." He said   
politely.  
  
Minako stared at him for a moment, still a bit dazed. Once she could finally focus, she took his  
hand. "Minako." she said quietly. "Thank you."  
  
Quatre was surprised at how warm her hand was. "You're welcome."   
he   
said. Suddenly, he remembered the blood on his cheek. He touched it   
lightly   
with his finger. "May I ask what you were doing on the OZ base?" he   
questioned.  
  
Minako paused for a moment as she tried to collect her thoughts. "I'm not quite sure..." she  
trailed off. "I was..." Minako tried to remember, "...lost...in a cave...there were so many stairs....I  
fell asleep...then I was in a new place. People pointed guns at me, but I kicked their guns away  
and ran. I ran and ran...." she was still exhausted and even thinking about all that running made  
her tired.  
  
Quatre placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay now,   
Minako," he explained, "I won't let anything happen to you. And I'll   
help   
you remember. You'll be home really soon." He grinned sweetly with   
his   
eyes. "Minako is a pretty name. Isn't it Japanese? "Beautiful Little   
Child " right?" he asked.  
  
Minako nodded. "Yes, good guess." she said, trying to cheer up. She took a deep breath, then let  
it all out. She just had to relax, she knew that everything would be alright.  
  
She closed her eyes and settled into the seat that she was sitting in. She could finally get some  
real rest. For some reason, she really trusted Quatre.  
  
Quatre continued with the controls. Suddenly the Gundam shook with   
an   
amazing force. A fleet of Leo's came into view on his radar. With   
them was   
a new model of mobile suit. And the little red dots outnumbered his   
allies   
green dots on a ratio of 1,000 to 1.  
Quatre turned his communications back on.   
Duo's face came on screen. "Hey, buddy. We've got about 5,000   
mobile   
suits coming this way."  
"Hold on." Quatre told Minako. Then he went into attack mode...  
  
Minako watched as Quatre frantically pulled levers and pushed buttons. She could feel the  
gundam shaking, meaning that they were being hit by something, but he managed to stay very  
calm.   
  
Minako however was a nervous wreck! She had never experienced anything like this before!   
She was used to fighting one-on-one with monsters..this was just too weird.  
  
Another blast sent Minako flying into Quatre's direction, knocking him over. He fell back and  
knocked a lever out of place, sending Sandrock spinning.  
  
Quatre raised to his feet and helped Minako up. "I'm sorry," he   
said,   
"I'll try my best to keep Sandrock steady." He pulled a lever back and   
stopped the spinning. A queasiness came over him. The spinning had   
made him   
sick.   
Even as his vision splured, Quatre continued controlling the   
Gundam.   
'Don't let Minako get hurt.' he told himself.  
  
"I'm sorry that I'm such a bother," Minako started. "I don't mean to get in your way."   
  
Quatre shook his head. "No, it's alright."  
  
Minako tried her hardest not to fall on him again. She held on to the seat as he controlled the  
gundam. A little while later though, they had destroyed all but one of the Leos. Quatre  
destroyed it easily. The battle was finally over.  
  
Quatre breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Minako. "Are you   
alright?" he questioned.   
Duo came on screen. "Quatre! There's a colony really close. Why   
don't   
you leave her there? I have a really bad feeling that after Hiiro   
kills you   
he'll kill me! He said he would... but he never did... this could be   
my last   
day..."  
Quatre grinned. "Hiiro's not going to kill you Duo."  
Hiiro came on screen. He glared at Quatre.  
Quatre smiled sweetly in return. "Hello, Hiiro!"  
"You're life-force count is high."  
"Yeah..."  
Hiiro scowled. "Omae o korosu." he went of the screen.  
Quatre's smiled remained.   
  
Minako blinked at the screen in confusion. 'I thought that all the bad guys were gone....'  
  
"Who was that?" Minako asked.   
  
Quatre sighed. "Nevermind...." he said. "Now let's get back home."  
  
Minako nodded and relaxed into the seat. She was careful not to get too comfortable though,  
from her experiences that day, she knew that she would probably be rudely awakened at any  
time.  
  
As they went, she thought about the day's events. The strange cave, then that building that she  
woke up in. It must have been something top-secret, or those soldiers wouldn't have been so  
protective. Then she thought about when she met Quatre. She was so glad that she didn't run  
away. She could tell that Quatre had a good heart, that he would protect her. She knew that  
she'd be safe with him.  
  
She noticed that her shoes were lying on the floor. She decided to put them back on, now that  
she wasn't running away anymore. She let a smile appear on her face when she thought about  
the day that she went out with Usagi and Rei to buy them.   
  
She and Usagi thought that they were so cute, but Rei said that they'd be nothing but a  
bother(these were higher heels than Rei's!). She got them anyway, and now she was glad that  
she did.  
  
A tear formed at her eye and slid down her cheek as she longed to be back with her friends and  
those who cared about her.  
  
Quatre noticed a prism on Minako's cheek. 'She's crying...' he   
thought.   
Slowly, Quatre walked over to Minako. "Are you alright?" he asked,   
kneeling   
down on the floor next to her.   
He watched as her tears began to slide down her cheeks, one by one.   
A   
tear slipping down his own face, Quatre took her hand. "I'm sorry this   
happened to you. I wish I could help you more. But right now all I   
can do   
is keep you safe."  
  
Minako looked once again into Quatre's deep blue eyes. She could clearly see that he was  
concerned for her. She couldn't hold her sadness in any longer. She finally let out a sob and  
lunged for Quatre, wrapping him in a hug.   
  
At first, he was shocked. He was blushing redder than a cherry, but he took her into his arms and  
held her close, rocking back and forth, whispering comforting words in her ear while stroking  
her long, silky hair.   
  
This went on for a few minutes when Minako calmed herself and sat straight up. "I-I'm sorry. I  
shouldn't have done that. I just--I'm sorry. I don't normally cry in front of others.." she said  
quietly.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Quatre said. "It's good to cry. Keeping   
your   
emotions inside only causes pain." He squeezed her hand. "I wouldn't   
want   
you to feel pain."  
Quatre tried to slow his heart. She had horrified him. Lunging at   
him,   
he had thought she might have been an undercover OZ agent. Now he felt   
embarrassed for such horrid thoughts. A blush covered his face. 'She's   
so   
beautiful... like a goddess....'  
"We're almost to the colony." Quatre explained. "Once we get there   
I'll   
try to help you find your friends. You'll be home in no time. And   
until   
then, I'll protect you. So please don't get upset. It hurts my soul   
when   
you cry." Quatre brushed her tears away.  
  
Notes: Did ya like? Did ya like? Please review!!! You+Reviews=MORE! SOONER! Don't forget, Kattie and I have TONS more to this fic just sitting here, bored. I'm sure that it would LOVE to be read by all you wonderful people! *grin* So, REVIEW!!!! 


	3. Chapter Two

Labyrinth  
  
Notes: HEY!! We're BAAACCCKK!!!! Mwahahahaha!!!!! Like I promised, here's more! Thanks to Sailor X! *HuGz* ^_^  
  
  
  
  
About an hour later, they finally reached the colony. "We're here." she heard Quatre say.   
Minako nodded and stood up. Quatre too her hand and led her outside of Sandrock's cockpit.   
She looked around, amazed at what she saw.  
  
Quatre looked over at Minako and noticed her expression of awe.   
'Maybe   
this is where she came from?' He thought. "Minako," he asked, "Is this   
familiar?"  
There were two clicks as Hiiro and Wufei stepped out of their   
Gundams and   
saw Minako.  
"Omae o korosu." Hiiro said, glaring at Minako.   
"Weak woman." Wufei muttered.  
The shoe throwing must have worked. For they were now out of   
range.  
"Hi." Quatre said cheerfully.  
  
"Hey!" Minako shouted, "You know these psychos?!?!" she asked Quatre. Once she said that,  
she heard Wufei start to growl.  
  
"Yes," Quatre said, "These are my comrades."  
  
Minako looked at the two holding the guns. "Well," she said, "Sorry for hurting you guys, I  
didn't know that you were good-guys...I hope that your hands aren't too bruised up." she said  
sweetly.  
  
"We're not 'good guys.'" Wufei replied, still pointing his gun at   
her.  
Hiiro just glared at her in hatred.  
"Ah, come on guys," Duo butted in, "enough with the macho man   
routine.   
How about you put your guns down and I buy you a Village People c.d.?"   
He   
started laughing at his lame joke.  
"Please put your guns down," Quatre pleaded, "I don't want to be   
forced   
to hurt you..." A lone tear slid down his cheek.  
  
'Comrades my foot!' Minako thought. "Hey!" she shouted at Wufei and Hiiro. "What's wrong  
with you?!?! Can't you see that I made a simple mistake? Listen, I don't have time to deal with  
more guns! I've had a VERY bad day, and I don't think that I can take any more of this!" her  
voice broke, so did her mask. The tears started flowing down her face yet again.  
  
Quatre started to approach her, but she ran off instead. 'I have to get home...' she thought as she  
ignored the yells behind her.  
  
  
"Weak woman," Wufei muttered. Before he knew what was happening, a   
fist   
hit his jaw.  
A shocked look covered the other pilots emotions.  
Rage covered Quatre's features. He glared at Hiiro and Wufei.   
"Couldn't   
you try to be a little kinder? She's NOT an enemy. It seems to me   
that you   
have a sick obsession with guns. We didn't become pilots to slaughter   
the   
innocent, if you can remember. Our mission is to protect the colonies.   
If   
you harm civilians than you do not deserve your Gundam."  
With that, Quatre ran after Minako.  
Duo turned to the two gun-happy pilots. "Jeez. That was scary.   
You   
made Quatre mad! Better shape up your act, 'cause whether you'll admit   
it or   
not, we need his help." Duo took off after Quatre.  
Trowa slowly walked after the two rushing pilots.  
Hiiro and Wufei made eye contact. They began walking.  
  
Minako ran as fast as she could, her vision blurred with tears. She didn't go very far until she  
stopped and looked around at where she was. She hadn't even kept track of where she was  
going, now she was lost. "Great.." she muttered as she slumped down to the ground, resting  
against a wall.  
  
She sighed to herself as she curled up her legs and rested her chin on her knees. "What am I  
going to do?" she asked herself. "Oh, Usagi...where are you? I'm so alone...what do I do?..."  
  
Quatre's heart was pounding furiously. 'Where is she?' he asked   
himself.   
Finally, he caught sight of her. And an OZ agent aiming a gun at her.   
"Minako!" he cried, pulling his own gun out.  
The OZ agent turned and shot off a few bullets at Quatre.  
Quatre shot back, watching his aim VERY carefully, so he wouldn't   
hit   
either of them. "Run!" He yelled to his female companion.  
  
Duo raced towards the gunshot. 'I hope Quatre's okay....'  
  
Minako's head jerked as she heard a familiar voice. Looking up, she saw an OZ soldier, not ten  
feet away from her, shooting at Quatre. She jumped up and took advantage of the fact that the  
soldier wasn't looking in her direction.   
  
She thrust her clenched fist right into the soldier's side. He groaned in pain, then redirected his  
attention to her. "You little brat!" he yelled. "You'll pay for that!"  
  
He aimed his gun and fired, but Minako was too quick for him. Instead of hitting her head, the  
bullet dug itself deep into Minako's right arm. She cried in pain as it tore through her.  
  
The OZ soldier snickered as he aimed his gun at her once again. "You won't be so fast this time,  
will you?" he laughed, his finger slowly closing on the trigger.  
  
All Minako could to was stare, frozen in fear. Years of memories flooded her brain just as a  
loud thwap brought her back down to earth.  
  
Quatre stared ahead in shock, at what he just did. The soldier lay in   
a pool   
of bright red blood. And Quatre's bullet was tucked inside his   
stomach.   
"I-I killed him!" Quatre muttered. He ran over to the soldier and   
checked   
his pulse.   
The man was definitely dead. He had died upon impact, without much   
pain.  
Quatre took the man's wallet out and looked at the pictures.   
Children   
smiled back at him through them. The identification in his wallet   
named the   
man, "Robert Johnson." Age 31. Tears streaked down Quatre's face in   
remorse.  
He walked over to Minako and wrapped his vest around her arm.   
"Hold it   
tight. It needs to stop the bleeding." The sadness wrapped over him   
as he   
began to sob. "He was only 31."  
  
Minako looked at Quatre's tear-stained face. She was amazed at how he could feel remorse for  
killing the enemy! She wasn't quite sure what to do, so after securing Quatre's vest around her  
injured arm, she wrapped her other arm around him comfortingly. "I'm so sorry." She whispered,  
tears forming at her own eyes. There must have been some kind of connection between the both  
of them, because she felt the same pain that he did. "It's all my fault," she started, "If I hadn't run  
off like that, this never would have happened."  
  
Quatre smiled sadly at Minako. "It's not your fault. I was the   
one who   
shot him... People die in wars... You have to kill your enemy. I just   
hate   
killing. I wish there was another way. But there isn't. If I was   
stronger   
I wouldn't hesitate." He brushed Minako's bangs out of her eyes. "Are   
you   
alright?" he asked.  
  
Minako looked down at her arm, then back at Quatre. I'll be alright, I just need some rest. Is  
there somewhere we can stay?  
  
Quatre smiled. "My family has a summer house here. We could stay   
there." he offered. "Unless you would prefer a hotel?"  
  
"Your house sounds fine." Minako said, "As long as there are no more weird guys with guns...."  
she looked over at Hiiro, Duo, Trowa and Wufei who had since arrived to see what all the  
commotion was. "You four excluded, of course." she said with a wink, trying to cheer up despite  
the pain in her arm.  
  
"Hey! I'm not weird! Just normally challenged!" Duo exclaimed.  
Quatre grinned.   
"But no more punching Wufei. He seems to be a little bit more   
"womanly"   
than he'll admit." Duo added.  
Wufei's eyes filled with rage. "YOU BAKA!" He raced after Duo   
trying to   
hit him.  
"Wah! Wufei, buddy, don't take it personally! *whap* OWW! Stop   
that!   
*whap*."  
"You shouldn't walk." Quatre told Minako. He carefully took her   
into his   
arms. (note- meaning he's carrying Minako)  
Duo grinned. "Quatre....my knight in shining armor *whap* ow...."  
  
Minako giggled at the scene. She wondered how five people as different as these could have  
been grouped together. Hiiro was like a robot, no emotion showed from his face. Duo, he was a  
goof! Totally insane! Trowa was quiet, always kept to himself. Wufei...Minako could tell that  
he was a very proud man, not very pleasant when his pride is threatened. But Quatre, he was  
sweet and innocent. Calm and gentle. Polite and sincere. She wondered how he got himself  
into this kind of work.  
  
She looked up at Quatre's gentle face. He looked just like an angel. He was her angel of hope.  
  
Quatre smiled at his friends. Hopefully they would cheer Minako   
up.   
Duo looked uneasy about the silence. He decided to break it. "I   
got a   
joke! What do Kermit the Frog and Winnie the Pooh have in common?"  
Hiiro glared at him. "They both prove how stupid you are?"  
Duo stuck his tongue out at Hiiro. "Nah! You don't need them to   
prove   
my stupidity." He looked around, waiting for an answer. "Give up?   
They   
have the same middle name! Ha ha ha! That's a good one!"  
The other pilots got sweat drops.  
"I got another one! What part of a fish weighs the most?" he   
asked. He   
laughed insanely, "The scales! Hahahhhahhaha! Man I'm good!"  
  
Minako giggled some more. She enjoyed the trip home. The whole way, Duo joked around as  
Hiiro and Wufei threatened to kill him. She actually found it quite entertaining! She closed her  
eyes and sighed, listening to the jokes and death threats, while resting comfortably in Quatre's  
strong arms.  
  
After a few minutes however, the voices became quieter and quieter. Her vision blurred by the  
drooping of her eyelids, Minako finally fell asleep.  
  
Quatre watched Minako sleep. Her beauty emanated from her every   
lovely   
features.   
Duo looked over at her. "She fell asleep? How could anyone sleep   
through my brilliant *whap* jokes?"  
Quatre smiled. "My house is about a block away." He told them.  
They continued walking and were soon to Quatre's "summer" home.  
"Man," Duo exclaimed, "This is your summer house?"  
  
meanwhile  
  
Usagi was worried sick about her friend. It had been hours since she last heard from her, and it  
was very late. All the other senshi had split up to look for her, but there was no trace of the  
bubbly blonde anywhere. Usagi decided to head over to the park to look. Minako hadn't told  
them where she was, and Tokyo was a big city!  
  
After about another hour of searching, Usagi slumped against a tree and started to cry. "Where  
are you, Minako?" she screamed, hoping against hope that wherever Minako was, she could hear  
her.  
  
~*~  
  
Minako jolted straight up when she heard someone calling her name. "Usagi!" she yelled,  
looking around for her friend, but she soon realized that her nightmare was really real.   
  
She found that she was in a bed, in a bedroom somewhere. Where? She wasn't sure. That is,  
until the door burst open, a worried look on Quatre's face. That's when she remembered  
everything that had happened, and the tears fell from her eyes once again.  
  
"Are you alright?" Quatre asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.   
'Usagi... she's said that name before. "Bunny of the moon." It must   
be one   
of her friends.' He wiped a tear off of her cheek. "Now that you're   
awake," he said, "we can try to find out where you came from."  
  
Minako gave Quatre a grateful look. "Well," she started, "1000 years ago, or, maybe more for  
you, the whole universe lived in peace and harmony under the rule of Queen Serenity of the  
Moon. Her daughter, Princess Serenity, or, Usagi, had four guardians. The princesses of  
Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and me, from Venus."   
  
"However, one day, the Moon Kingdom was destroyed by Queen Beryl. Queen Serenity  
sacrificed herself to send us to the future." she continued, trying to hold back more tears brought  
on by the painful memories.  
  
Quatre got a huge sweatdrop. 'Uh... maybe it's the loss of blood?   
Emotional trauma? She might have hit her head.' He felt her forehead.   
'Nope,   
no fever. I should trust her then. Just because it seems unlikely   
doesn't   
mean that it isn't true.' "Well... If it's called the Moon Kingdom,   
maybe   
the best place to look would be the moon? I can get us their on a   
Cruiseline   
Shuttle. Or I could get a small shuttle. It probably wouldn't be safe   
to   
take Sandrock though. Would you like to go there first?" he asked.  
  
Minako shook her head. "No." she said, quietly. "There is nothing there but destruction and  
painful memories. I have to learn to live on."  
  
Quatre nodded his head, still a bit skeptical however.  
  
"There's more." Minako continued. "We all started new lives on earth. We had no memories of  
our past. I lived in London, England for a few years where I fought crime as the soldier of  
justice, Codename: Sailor V. Then, I moved to Tokyo, where I met with the other Senshi, who  
had finally gotten their memories, and joined them as Sailor Venus. We've been fighting evil for  
a couple years now.  
  
"One day, I sensed some evil and decided to try and find it. I ended up walking into some kind  
of cave where I was locked in. After a while, I fell asleep and woke up at that place where I met  
you." Minako finished.  
  
She couldn't help but notice Quatre's unsure expression. She sighed and stood up. "I'll prove it  
to you. Venus Star Power!!! Make-Up!!!!"  
  
Quatre stared at her in awe. She was changing forms using magic or   
something. Confusion covered his mind. 'At least she was telling the   
truth...' Quatre watched the magic before his eyes a few seconds more,   
before fainting.  
  
Once Minako finished her transformation into Sailor Venus, she looked down at the unconscious  
Quatre. "Oops." she said, rushing over to him. She knelt down next to him and tried to wake  
him. "Quatre! Wake up! It's alright!" she said while shaking his shoulders. He didn't move. She  
sighed as she tried to figure out what to do. She definitely didn't want to get those other guys.   
She shuddered at the thought of them being there and Quatre not being conscious to save her.  
  
She looked down at his angelic face and brushed some of the bangs to the side. Leaning down  
closer to him, she whispered, "Please wake up, Quatre." With that, she kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Quatre opened his eyes. His vision was splurred but he could make   
out an   
angel above him. 'I must be in heaven....' He blushed when he   
realized it   
was Minako and she was the one who had kissed his cheek. "So... are   
you a   
sorceress?" he asked, trying to understand how she could use such   
magic.  
  
"No." she replied. "I was born with these powers. I am the incarnation of the goddess of Venus.   
I use these powers to fight the enemy."  
  
"Venus? As in the Goddess Aphrodite?" Quatre questioned. 'Of   
course...   
that would explain her beauty.' He blushed at his thought. "Would you   
like to   
visit your kingdom then, Minako?" He asked. Seeing her confused face   
he   
added, "Would you like to go to Venus?"  
  
Minako's eyes widened. "We can go there?!?!" she asked as Quatre nodded his head with a  
smile. She had never actually been to Venus before. All she had was memories. "I would love  
to, Quatre!" she said, hugging him. "Thank you!"  
  
Quatre smiled at her happy expression. "I'm sure we could get   
tickets   
soon. There's a spacecraft cruise that departs every 24 hours. We   
might not   
be able to stay the entire cruise though..."  
Quatre's eyes widened and his face turned pale as a man entered the   
room.   
His heart seemed to stop for a moment before beating faster than sound   
is   
capable of. Horror etched his every figure.  
  
"Hello, Quatre." The man said.  
  
Minako jumped at the sound of the voice. She wondered who he was and why Quatre seemed so  
uptight. She looked at Quatre's horrified face, then at the strange man. "Who are you?" she  
asked.  
  
The man glanced over at Minako, before watching Quatre again.  
"This is my father..." Quatre told Minako.  
"And who is this lady? Another soldier spilling the blood of the   
innocent?" Mr. Winner asked. note- I don't know his name. I don't   
want to   
spoil the show if you haven't seen it all- but those of you who have-   
know   
why  
Quatre glared at his father. "Disapproving of me is one thing.   
But you   
have no right to judge Minako. And I do not hurt innocent people."  
  
  
"Wait just a minute!" Minako yelled to Mr. Winner. "What do you mean he kills the innocent?!   
He saved my life!"  
  
Mr. Winner looked back over at Minako. "And what business is this   
of   
yours?" his gaze shifted over to Quatre. "I am disappointed.   
Inviting   
these killers into my house. Have you no respect?"  
"This isn't your house," Quatre stated, "this was mother's house.   
She   
left it to me in her will."  
A woman stepped into the room. "Hiya Quatre!" his sister, Tsuki   
exclaimed. She ran over to Quatre and wrapped him in a hug.  
  
Minako looked at the girl hugging Quatre. The scene hit her like a ton of bricks. She never  
thought about the possibility of him having a girlfriend. "So," she started, "who's this?" she  
asked, trying to hide her disappointment as well as jealousy.  
  
  
Notes: *gasp* A girlfriend?!?! How could this be?!?!?! Review and you'll find out! ^_^ 


	4. Chapter Three

Tsuki smiled over at Minako. "I'm Tsuki, Quatre's sister," she   
gave   
Quatre an 'I know all' look, "So... You must be Quatre's girlfriend.   
How   
cute! I love your hair! Simply gorgeous. So, when's the wedding?   
How   
'bout you name the first girl Tsuki after me? Or Tsuki Jr. If it's a   
guy   
you could always go with 'Tsu.' What do you think, Quatre?"  
Quatre was blushing a very deep red. "Uh... this is   
Minako........."  
Tsuki winked at her. "Nice ta meet ya, Mina-chan."  
  
"Thanks. Nice to meet you too." Minako said with a weak smile. Her name, Tsuki...Moon....it  
reminded her of Usagi. Heck, she even had the same personality. "You're lucky to have a  
brother as nice as Quatre." she said, making sure that Mr. Winner heard.  
  
Quatre's faced changed into an even brighter red.   
Mr. Winner looked into Minako's eyes. "I think I should talk to   
your   
friend here alone."  
Tsuki grinned at her father. "Ah, daddy! You got the hots for   
Minako   
too! Ain't she a li'l young tho'? Well, she is cute. Adorable!" she   
laughed as her daddy glared at her.  
"Leave." Mr. Winner told her.  
"Fine then. I know when I'm not wanted. OOH! Is Duo-honey here?"  
Quatre nodded.  
"YAY! Duo-baby! I'm coming!" Tsuki raced out of the room.  
Mr. Winner looked over at Quatre.   
"Don't worry, Minako," Quatre whispered into Minako's ear, "he's a   
lot   
kinder than he'll admit." With that, Quatre also left.  
"Minako, is it?" Mr. Winner asked.  
  
Minako nodded. "Yes, sir." She wondered what he wanted to talk about. She really didn't like  
this guy.  
  
Mr. Winner smiled at Minako. "Don't worry, I'm only hard on   
Quatre.   
It's for his own good. And out of love. If you are Quatre's friend   
then you   
need to know a few things, and maybe you can help me."  
  
Minako couldn't believe her ears! Quatre was right! He really was much nicer. "What can I  
help you with" she asked.  
  
Mr. Winner put a hand on Minako's shoulder. "As you know, Quatre   
is a   
soldier in the war. He completes top secret missions for the colonies.   
The   
risk is very high and he is forced to kill enemies.  
"You probably have noticed that my son has a kind streak. He is   
very   
considerate and empathic. He doesn't belong in this war. It's hurting   
his   
soul to see these people in pain, and he hates himself for hurting   
others.  
"The battle field is no place for a boy of his age. Especially one   
so   
innocent and pure. He should fight for peace but not with weapons.   
"I have more reasons for being against this. He is my only son. I   
treasure him and couldn't bear it if he got hurt in battle.  
"I've tried to convince him to stay out of the war, but he doesn't   
listen   
to me. Maybe you could try talking to him?" Mr. Winner looked at her   
with   
hope. A tear made it's way down his cheek.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Quatre paced outside of the room. 'What are they talking about?'   
He   
pressed his ear to the door. 'I can almost hear them.'  
"Quatre, I'm disappointed in you." Duo joked.  
"SHHHH!" Quatre shhhh-ed Duo.   
"Eavesdropping? And I thought you were mature."  
Quatre could hear a few words here and there. "Kill...my   
son...hurt...   
his soul... hate... him..." (look up^ Mr. Winner DOES say this. notice   
the   
dot dot dots) Quatre stepped back horrified. 'What the...?'  
  
meanwhile  
  
Minako couldn't help but feel sorry for Quatre's father. He really cared for his son. She could  
see why. Who wouldn't love Quatre? She looked up at Mr. Winner and smiled. "I'll see what I  
can do."  
  
"Thank you." Mr. Winner said to Minako. He took her hand. "You   
remind   
me so much of Quatre's mother. Beautiful, kind, and caring. Don't let   
yourself be dragged into this war."  
  
meanwhile  
  
Quatre ran back up the stairs with two glass cups. He handed one to   
Duo.   
They each pressed one against the door in hopes of hearing the   
conversation   
more.   
"Jeez. You do this much?" Duo asked.  
"SHHHHH!"  
  
meanwhile  
  
Minako paused for a moment. 'If only he knew what I do back at home!' she thought. "I  
promise, Mr. Winner. I'll do my best." Minako put on her confident smile and flashed a v-sign.   
"He'll never know what hit him!" she shouted trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Thank you, Minako." Mr. Winner smiled. "I'm glad my son has a   
friend as   
kind as you." he turned the doorknob.  
  
meanwhile  
  
Quatre listened at the door. "He'll never know what hit him." He   
heard   
Minako say. 'What!?' Quatre was utterly confused.  
The door opened and Quatre and Duo fell down on the ground in front   
of   
them. "Hi!" Duo said cheerfully.  
Quatre was blushing a deep red. He didn't usually do things like   
this.   
  
Minako jumped back as the two boys crashed through the  
door. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight.   
"What are you two doing hmm?" she asked them.   
  
Quatre blushed. He held up his cup to her. "We were bringing you   
water."  
Duo sighed. "Quatre, that's a bad lie. Have you no experience?   
There IS   
no water. A proper lie would be 'We were bringing you water but got   
thirsty   
so...' and go on. I'm a professional- so I wouldn't expect you to come   
up   
with one that good... how come that guys giving me a 'I'm going to kill   
you'   
look? Who's that guy? Is he an OZ agent?... I'm confused..."  
  
Minako giggled at Duo's questions. "Eavesdropping, are we? Shame on you two! You know  
that that isn't very nice!"  
  
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Quatre insisted.  
"Yeah. That guy seems scary. Maybe he could get mad and um....   
glare   
you to death. STOP GLARING AT ME! STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!!! Mister!   
You're freaking me out."  
Quatre smiled and glared at Duo as well.  
"Hey.... stop that.... you're freaking me out...."  
  
A very amused Minako watched for a moment until she finally decided that it was time to break  
the glaring contest. "Alright! That's it! Let's move on! Like, for one thing, would you mind  
introducing me to your friend, Quatre?(AN: We know, we know she's already met Duo, but hey,  
this story was meant purely for our own enjoyment! We didn't care very much about those  
minor details..ehe)"  
  
"No need Quatre my friend." Duo bowed. "I am Emperor Hotohori the   
Second   
of the Level Two Colony Cluster kingdom. Enchanted to meet you." he   
kissed   
her hand.  
Quatre got a sweatdrop.   
  
Minako giggled yet again at Duo's silliness. "It's very nice to meet you, Duo. My name is  
Minako." she said with a smile.   
  
The moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. Everyone looked over to see a woman with  
short, blonde hair and blue eyes. "I'm sorry to interrupt." she said, "But there's someone on the  
phone for you, father."  
  
"Thank you, Himeko." Mr. Winner replied. "I'm afraid that I'll have to be going now." he said,  
turning to the group. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Minako." That said, he left the room.  
  
"Hi." Himeko spoke up, "Who are you?" she asked Minako.  
  
"I'm Minako, a friend of Quatre's. Are you another one of his sisters?" Minako asked.  
  
Himeko nodded her head. "Yes, one of the many." she smiled. "So, Quatre." she continued,  
"Have you shown your guest around? I'm sure that there are many things here that would interest  
her."  
  
"I was going to do introductions first," Quatre explained, "It's   
great to   
see you again, Himeko."  
Duo nudged Minako. "Quatre's got 29 sisters... just f.y.i."  
  
Minako's chin hit the floor. "Twenty-nine?!?!?!" She couldn't believe it! She was an only  
child...she had heard horror stories from Usagi about Shingo.... Minako shuddered at her  
thoughts....  
  
Tsuki walked in the room. "Have you seen Duo-honey?" she asked.  
Duo ducked behind Minako. "Duo is NOT HERE." He stated.  
She got a sweatdrop. "Duo-baby? Are you HIDING from me?"  
"I'm not Duo! I'm Minako's subconscious."  
Quatre smiled. "Would you like me to show you around?" he asked   
Minako.  
"No Quatre. BAD IDEA. I can't hide behind her while she's walking. I   
mean   
Minako- this is your subconscious. You are too tired to go on a tour   
right   
now. You should sit down in a nice comfy chair. You KNOW you want   
to." Duo   
said.  
  
Himeko shook her head. "Duo..." she scolded.   
  
Duo looked past Minako over at Himeko and smiled. "Okay, fine...."   
  
Tsuki pouted. She knew that Duo liked Himeko.  
  
Minako sighed. What a bunch! She turned to Quatre and smiled. "I'd love for you to show me  
around."  
  
Quatre took her hand. "We'd better hurry. Before one of them   
burn's the   
house down."  
Duo looked at Himeko. "You got something on your face..."  
  
As Quatre led Minako out to the hall, she sighed at the newfound silence. "Are they always like  
that?" she asked.  
  
Quatre nodded. "Usually they're worse. Especially Duo. But Hiiro   
won't   
let Duo have any more caffeine or sugar." he smiled. "With sugar, Duo   
is   
crazy."  
He led her into a room. "This was my mother's room."  
  
Minako looked at the room in awe. The huge room was surrounded in lavender wallpaper, the  
floor was covered in a soft, dark purple carpet. The curtains were drawn at the large bay  
window at the far end of the room, letting the brilliant sunlight pour inside.   
  
Minako walked over to the large dresser. On top were twenty-nine picture frames, each had a  
picture of a smiling little girl. She looked for a picture of Quatre, but couldn't find one  
anywhere. "I can't find a picture of you, Quatre." she said.  
  
Quatre smiled at the pictures. "My mother took all of these   
pictures and   
put them here. I'm the youngest in my family."  
He picked up the picture of his mother. "She died shortly after   
giving   
birth to me. So my picture was never taken and is not here."  
A tear slipped down his face. "I never met her..."  
  
Minako's heart broke. She placed a hand on Quatre's shoulder. "I'm so sorry." she said. "I didn't  
mean to bring up such a painful subject."  
  
"It's alright," Quatre said, "I shouldn't be so weak. I'll try to   
be   
stronger." He stared at Minako. ' She looks so much like her....'  
  
Minako smiled. "That's good. And besides. I'm sure that right now, she's looking down from  
heaven smiling at how wonderful her son is."  
  
Quatre blushed but shook his head. "I'm sure she's looking down   
and   
thinking what a lucky son she has." He took her hand and smiled. "To   
know   
someone as great a person as you are."  
  
Minako blushed just as Quatre did. She leaned her head closer to Quatre's and brushed a strand  
of platinum-blonde bangs out of his eyes. "You are wonderful..." she whispered.  
  
Quatre's blush deepened. "Minako...I need to tell you   
something..."   
Sweat trickled down his back. He couldn't recall ever being this   
nervous.   
His hands were shaking and he clamped them together in a failed attempt   
to   
stop it. "I know we haven't known each other very long at all...   
but... I...   
I..." The words failed him. He was too nervous. He sighed and looked   
down.   
"Nevermind..."  
  
Minako dropped her gaze to the floor. "Okay..." she said, a bit disappointed. When he started  
saying that, she felt as if she could fly. She felt this electricity flowing through her body, but his  
last word sent her heart sinking all the way down to her feet.   
  
She looked back up at him and forced a smile, "So what else would you like to show me?"  
  
Quatre sighed. 'I'm weak... Why can't I tell her? What is it I'm   
afraid   
of?' "Why don't we just get the reservations for Venus?" he asked.   
'Maybe I   
can gather up the courage there...'  
  
Minako smiled. "That sounds great! I can't wait to go! Will it take very long to get there?"  
  
  
  
"Not at all," Quatre replied, "If we get on first class it should   
only   
take a couple of hours." he explained. "But I may have to leave during   
it...   
if I get called to work- but I don't think it's likely."  
  
Minako smiled. "That sounds great!" She looked at Quatre for a moment. "What do you do for  
a job?"  
  
Quatre's heart stopped. He didn't want to lie to her- but if he   
told her   
it would put her in danger. He didn't know what to do. 'I can't tell   
her...   
but.... If I lie to her... I'll be hurting her trust....' "I'm sorry,"   
he   
said, "But I do not have the liberty to tell you." Tears wavered in his   
deep   
cerulean eyes.  
  
"It's okay!" Minako said when she realized how important this was. "You don't have to tell me.  
I'm just a nosy person." she flashed a V sign with her left hand.  
  
Quatre dived to the floor. Unbeknownced ('s that a word?) to   
Minako, the   
V sign was a "I'm gonna kill you" sign in these days. His gun was out   
in   
seconds. "What the heck were you doing?" he asked.  
  
Minako threw her hands out in front of her when she saw the gun. "What's wrong?!?! It's just a  
V sign!!! It's like a wink! It's harmless!" She gave Quatre a VERY confused look.  
  
Quatre put his gun down. "I'm sorry...." He couldn't help it. He   
sobbed   
uncontrollably. "I'm sorry... I'm trying to trust you... it's just so   
hard... That's the sign that OZ members use before killing you... I'm   
sorry... Please forgive me..."  
  
Minako ran up to Quatre and hugged him. "It's alright! I'm sorry! I understand why you were  
scared! It's okay."  
  
Quatre felt in heaven in her arms. "I'm sorry. I'll try to be   
more   
understanding." he picked up the phone. "I'll get us reservations.   
Would   
you like to get a dress or something else nice to wear first?"  
  
"I'd love to, but I'm afraid that I don't have any money." Minako said regretfully.  
  
"That's not a problem." Quatre replied. "It'll be my treat."  
  
"Are you sure?" Minako asked, surprised by Quatre's generosity. "I really don't want to impose  
too much."  
  
"It's no problem at all." Quatre replied. "Don't worry- I would   
never   
think that YOU were imposing." He hung up the phone. "We have to first   
class   
tickets in 2 hours. Would you like to go shopping?"  
  
Minako's eyes lit up. "I'd love to!" She ran up and hugged Quatre yet again. Shopping always  
got her mind off of bad times...  
  
Quatre smiled, happy to get Minako's mind off of her troubles.   
"Okay.   
We should probably get going- we don't want to be late for the   
departure."   
He took her hand and guided her down the stairs.  
  
Minako smiled again. As he took her hand into his,  
she felt a light tingly feeling as their skin touched.  
She thought about how wonderful he was instead of  
scolding herself for liking him so much so soon.  
  
"Thank you very much." she said, "This really means  
alot to me."  
  
Quatre smiled back at her. "You're welcome," he said. Charmingly,   
he   
took her hand and led her down the stairs.   
"Hey, Quatre," Duo called, "where ya goin'?" He was staring at   
Quatre and   
Minako. The other pilots were watching as well, though a few of them   
were   
glaring.  
"Just.... out.... I have my pager on if you need anything." Quatre   
replied, shooting them a "don't you dare" look.  
  
Minako watched as Heero nodded. There was something  
mysterious and sad about him, but she couldn't figure  
out what.  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a very anxious  
Quatre tugging on her arm. "All right! All right!"  
she said as she followed him out the front door.  
  
Quatre smiled at Heero. He was a lot more understanding then he   
would   
let on. But still, Quatre couldn't help but feel a teensy bit jealous.   
Minako was after all, staring at Heero. 'Why was she staring at   
Heero?'   
Quatre asked himself. He pushed all of those bad thoughts from his   
mind and   
led Minako to his car.  
  
Quatre shut Minako's door after she got in, then went around to his side. Once he started the car,  
Minako spoke up. "So, you've been to Venus before, right? What's it like now?"  
  
Quatre nodded. "Yes I've been to Venus before on a business trip."   
So   
maybe it was to steal a file from an OZ base there. It was still   
business.   
"I didn't really get to see much of it though. I'm sure it's beautiful   
if it   
bears your name." He blushed.  
  
Minako's face blushed as well. She couldn't believe how incredibly sweet he was. "You're so  
kind." she said.   
  
Quatre felt his cheeks burn. He couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or maybe....something  
else.... Just then, Quatre felt something. Not physically but mentally he could feel something  
approaching. It seemed evil... "Minako I have a bad feeling..." he choked out.  
  
Minako felt it too. She looked all around as Quatre pulled the car over to the side of the road. "I  
do too." she said, calmly. She was worried, but somewhat confident because she knew that she  
could transform if needed.  
  
Quatre had never felt something like this before. (Remember-   
Quatre's an   
empath) It seemed to cut his heart in half. He doubled over in pain.   
Noting   
Minako's worried expression he smiled through the pain. "It's okay.   
I'm an   
empath."  
  
'That explains some things...' she thought to herself. She felt a surge of evil energy invade her  
body. She knew that the enemy was close. "Quatre," she said, "I have to fight." she said,  
opening the door to the car to get out.  
  
Instinctively, he gently grabbed her wrist. "Be careful... I'll be   
right   
behind you..." he said, letting go. He smiled sweetly at her and   
watched her   
disappear. He parked the car and ran to join her.  
  
Minako looked around and soon found herself staring right into a familiar face. "Hello,  
princess." he said in a menacing voice.  
  
"What do you want?!" Minako hissed.  
  
"Oh, I believe that you know what I want." he said with a sly grin.  
  
Minako backed up a bit just as he began to advance on her.  
  
Quatre glared at the man advancing on Minako. He quickly took out   
his   
gun and fired a warning shot towards the sky. "Please stop- or I will   
be   
forced to shoot you." Quatre said. "Minako, are you okay?" he asked.  
  
Minako nodded, a frown on her face. "I'll be fine as soon as the stench is gone." she said  
hatefully.  
  
"Now, Minako. Don't go insulting people like that. It's not polite." the man said.  
  
"Leave us alone, Peridot!" Minako yelled, angrily.  
  
"But if I do that," he started, "You'll never find out how to get home"  
  
Minako gasped. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"You see, senshi," he said, "I'm the one who sent you here."  
  
"You what?!?! WHY?!"  
  
Peridot grinned. "Because it's easier to get rid of you brats one at a time---HAI!" he shouted as  
he lunged towards Minako.  
  
  
  
Quatre shot off a bullet at the fiend attacking Minako. There was   
no way   
he was going to let that "man" hurt her.   
The man smirked evilly as the bullet hit a shield and ricocheted   
off,   
impaling itself into Quatre's chest.  
Quatre fell to the ground, causing his gun to slide across the   
cold, hard   
pavement.  
  
"QUATRE!!!" Minako screamed at the top of her lungs as she ran to kneel beside him. She  
looked at the wound on Quatre's chest as tears poured from her eyes.  
  
"What a pity..." Peridot said in a sarcastic tone.   
  
Minako jerked her head up. "That's it! I won't tolerate any more of this!" she shouted. She  
looked back down at Quatre, and brought her lips to his ear. "I won't let him get away with this."  
she whispered.  
  
After doing so, she stood up, and threw her hand straight up in the air. "Venus star power!!!   
Make-up!" Once more swirls of gold and yellow wrapped around Minako's body in a brillant  
show of lights.  
  
Quatre put a hand to the bullet wound. Blood covered it turned to   
a deep   
crimson. "Minako..." he tried to stop her from what may cause her   
harm.   
Knowing that shooting at the man again would only result in a similar   
occurrence, he did the only thing he could do. burst out laughing He   
chucked   
the gun at him.  
  
Peridot screamed as the gun hit him in the face. "You little pest!"  
  
"Venus love-me chain!" Sailor Venus shouted, taking advantage of Peridot's distracted state.   
Unfortunately for her though, his shield did the same as it did to Quatre's bullet, sending her  
chain straight back at her.  
  
She cried out in pain as the chain hit her right shoulder, sending her collapsing to the ground.  
  
Peridot had finally regained his composure just in time to see Venus fall. He started to walk  
towards her, but suddenly stopped, a thoughtful look on his face.  
  
Venus watched curiously as he swore quietly as if to himself. "I'm afraid that I'm going to have  
to cut our meeting short today." he said, turning to her. "Don't worry though, I'll be back." With  
that, he disappeared in a flash of light.  
  
Sailor Venus turned around and looked at the barely-conscious Quatre. She ran up next to him  
and knelt by his side. "Oh, Quatre." she cried, "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault..."  
  
Quatre took Minako's hand. "It's not your fault. I shouldn't have   
tried   
to fight a force I knew nothing about." He sweetly kissed her hand.   
His   
eyes squeezed closed and he took a deep breath. 'I probably won't   
survive   
this... I need to tell her... just in case...' "Minako..... there's   
something I've been wanting to tell you... I tried before but the   
words   
failed me... I hope I can finish this time..."  
Quatre took in another deep breath. His vision was splurring and   
he   
could barely make out her face. He raised his hand up and touched her   
cheek.   
"It's hard for me to believe you're real... I didn't think such   
beauty   
existed... Now it seems like my life was meaningless until you came   
into   
it..."  
"I already told you I was an empath. And usually it seemed a   
burden to   
me. Always feeling the pains of those I hurt. It was almost   
unbearable.   
But since I met you- I have been so happy to feel what you do..."  
"I know this isn't the best time... and I'm sorry I haven't told   
you   
before... but if I don't say it now I fear I never will..."  
Quatre choked on his breath and started coughing. "I...." he   
tried to   
ignore the pain in his chest. "I..." it was becoming unbearable. "I   
love   
you." He lost consciousness.  
  
What Quatre had just said took a moment to register in Minako's head. She blinked in  
confusion, unable to accept the fact that Quatre was dead. He couldn't die, he just couldn't!   
  
She finally stood up, and ran over to Quatre's car, searching frantically for a cell phone. After a  
few moments of searching, she finally found one. She dialed 911 and tried her hardest to  
explain her situation calmly. Once she finished talking to the dispatcher, she knelt down next to  
Quatre once more. She pressed her cheek against his as the tears started to flow from her eyes.  
  
"Onegai.." she begged weakly, "Onegai, Quatre. Wake up...." Her soft cries turned to sobs as  
she laid down next to Quatre, hoping against hope that he would wake up. She snuggled up  
close to him, and brought her lips to his ear once more. "I love you too, Quatre..." she  
whispered. "Forever, aishiteru..." 


	5. Chapter Four

Labyrinth  
  
Notes: Hey everyone! Here's yet another chapter of Labyrinth! ^^v I hope you guys are all  
enjoying it so far! Kattie and I are having an awesome time writing it! Please review and send  
comments to Kattie at Kattie41@aol.com as well! ^^v Anyhoo, here's some more! ^^v Enjoy!  
  
Warning: Because this story was not originally meant to be read by others, weird things will happen that normally don't happen in stories like this. This whole story will be a roller coaster of mush, humor, and tragedy. You have been warned!  
  
  
Hiiro continued typing on his laptop- reading the updates from HQ.   
Most   
of it he already knew- considering he had completed the tasks himself.   
His   
typing stopped as he noticed one lone sentence. A sentence which he   
read   
over and over not believing its words. "Agent 04- hospitalized;   
condition-   
critical; whereabouts- 04 Colony General Hospital," it read. Hiiro   
ran down   
the stairs.  
A li'l bit later  
  
Four angry gundam pilots burst into the hospital waiting room.   
They   
stared at Minako with hatred.  
"Omae o korosu." Hiiro spat.  
"Weak woman." Wufei raged.  
"What the hell happened?" Duo asked.  
Trowa, on the other hand, took a seat next to Minako. "Are you   
alright?"   
he asked. Trowa was worried about his friend. His beloved Quatre,   
whom he   
held as a younger brother. The one who taught him how to trust.   
He could recognize Minako's sadness, and wished to cheer her up.   
But he   
was a little depressed himself. "What happened, Minako?" he questioned   
in a   
grave tone.  
  
Minako thought for a moment what she should say. How could she tell them about Peridot?   
They knew nothing of her past and her enemies. They would never believe her. She had only  
one choice. "We had some car trouble," she started, "so we pulled up to the side of the road.   
Once we got out of the car, a man came up to us and he...he...." She broke down sobbing once  
more.  
  
Trowa stared at the crying girl that he knew Quatre cared about.   
He   
wasn't much of any emotional type guy, but he felt bad for her. But   
who was   
that man she was referring to? Most likely OZ had found them. He   
looked   
towards the other pilots. "We need to get out of here."  
Hiiro nodded. "And Quatre."   
They began to think of their plan to get away from here- and where   
they   
had been detected.  
  
"What do you mean?" Minako asked, shocked, her body still shaking. She winced as a sharp  
pain seared through her shoulder. It had been bandaged up, but it still hurt like hell. Trying to  
ignore the pain, she continued to ask questions. "Why would you need to leave? Why would  
you take Quatre this soon! He's in critical condition!"  
  
Wufei glared at Minako with a harsh look on his face. "We don't   
have the   
time for you." He snapped. "Not for a weak woman who allowed Quatre to   
be   
hospitalized."  
"Shut up, Wufei." Duo spat. "Minako, we need to talk in private."   
He   
led her to the cafeteria which was at the moment, practically deserted.   
"Listen, Minako, you have to swear to me you won't tell any one   
what I am   
about to tell you." He said with an unusual amount of seriousness.  
  
Minako was confused, eager and scared all at the same time. She wondered what could possibly  
be so important, she was very curious as to what it could be, but she was also a bit nervous. Duo  
sounded very serious, a hint of regret could be detected in his tone. "I swear, Duo. I won't tell a  
soul." she agreed quietly.  
  
Duo sighed. 'Here goes...' he thought.   
"As you may or may not know, the organization known as OZ has   
practically taken control of the colonies and Earth. Not through force, but   
through persuading citizens that what they say is right.   
"To ensure that no one attempted to steal their power OZ began   
constructing mobile suits. Each line of mobile suits were engineered to   
act as combat units.  
"All resistance to Oz was easily destroyed using these mobile   
suits. But more importantly, the civilians began to trust them.  
"To resist Oz, five highly advanced scientists began making Mobile   
Suits of their own. These mobile suits were made out of a metal called   
Gundanium alloy which is why these Mobile Suits now carry the metal's   
name, Gundam.   
"However, these mobile suits are human operated, meaning they must   
have a person in controlling them from within. That's where we came   
along.  
"The five of us are the Gundam pilots. I pilot Gundam 02   
Deathscythe, Hiiro pilots 01 Wing Gundam, Trowa pilots 03 Heavyarms, Wufei   
pilots Gundam Shenlong, also known as Nataku, and..." Duo paused and looked   
Minako in the eye.  
"My buddy Quatre pilots Gundam 04 Sandrock. Which is why we are in   
danger right now.  
"Quatre has a bullet wound which suggests that he was found by an   
OZ agent. If OZ attempted to capture us at this time they would most   
likely succeed.   
"If captured we would probably be tortured to tell all we knew and   
then killed before twenty billion citizens who would ignorantly be   
pleased with our deaths.  
"In other words, we need to get the hell out of here." Duo   
finished.  
  
Minako almost passed out. This was MUCH worse than she thought. She lied about who shot  
Quatre, and now they think that OZ is after them! She debated in her head for a few seconds as  
to what to do, and finally came to a conclusion. She had to tell him. "Duo..." she started, "I have  
a confession to make..." She looked at Duo's confused expression . "I lied about who shot  
Quatre."  
  
Duo stared at Minako. He didn't know what to think. "Did... you?"   
He   
asked wishing he had his gun with him.  
Two chibi pilots broke down the door and surrounded Minako,   
pointing   
chibi squirt guns at her.   
"Omae o koro.... what's the rest?" Chibi Hiiro asked.  
"Weak woman! Come on I'll arm wrestle you!" Chibi Wufei said,   
flexing   
his nonexistent muscle.  
  
(Meanwhile)  
  
Wufei noticed that something was missing- but he couldn't put his   
finger   
on it.  
Hiiro realized before him. "....Our chibis are lose..."  
Wufei swore under his breath  
  
(back in the cafeteria)  
  
Minako looked down nervously at the two chibis. "Ehehe....well...you two are kinda  
cute....AAACCKK!!" she screamed as Chibi Hiiro shot her with his squirt gun. "Duo! What's  
going on here?!?!"  
  
Chibi Wufei glared at Minako. "Come on!!! I wanna arm wrestle   
you!"  
Duo got a sweatdrop. "Uh well... Hiiro and Wufei's chibis are   
loose.   
Their alternate personalities." He thought for a moment. "Come to   
think of   
it... my chibi's missing..." He winced. "My chibi is bad..."  
Chibi Duo laughed in an evil shrill voice. "Bwe heeheheh!" He   
walked   
over to Minako. "Bwehehehehe!" and released her chibi.   
"Bwehhehehehe!"  
  
Minako watched in horror as chibis ran wild all around the room. She was getting dizzy. She  
placed her hands on her temples and tried to calm herself by circling them with her fingers. It  
didn't help. "I need to get out of here!" she shouted as she stood up and left the room.  
  
Duo stared at Minako's face. She seemed dazed, really out of it.   
"Minako are you okay?"  
"I need to get out of here!" Minako shouted as she left the room.  
Duo followed her. "Minako I think you're seeing delusions!   
There's no   
one here but me. But you need to tell me. Who shot Quatre?"  
  
Minako blinked in confusion. She looked around, and sure enough, Duo was the only other  
person with her. No chibis, just Duo. She sighed, but then remembered his question. She  
looked at him with an unsure expression on her face. "I'd better tell you all together." she said.   
"It's very complicated..."  
  
"Complicated?" Duo asked. "As in math complicated? I never was   
any good   
at math. I mean I guess I gotta know math to pilot Deathscythe but...   
ya   
know geometry and that kind of math is hard for me... I'm confused..."  
  
"Duo.." she interrupted him. "Let's go meet the other guys."  
  
When they got back to the waiting room, Minako was greeted by three very unhappy faces.  
  
"What were you talking about?" Wufei demanded.  
"If you told her anything we'll kill you." Hiiro added.  
Duo got a sweatdrop. "I love you guys." He turned to Minako. "So?"  
  
Minako took a deep breath. "I need to tell you guys something." she paused, thinking of how to  
say it right. "I lied about who shot Quatre." she could see that Hiiro and Wufei were about to  
respond, but she cut them off immediately. "I have an explanation, though! You see, the bullet  
that hit Quatre was his own."  
  
She looked around at all the shocked faces, and decided to continue, there was no turning back  
now. "I was attacked by one of my enemies, when Quatre tried to save me. He shot at the man,  
but the bullet was deflected and sent right back at him.   
  
"I know that this will sound weird, but you have to believe me." she continued, "The man who  
attacked me, Peridot. He is an agent of the dark kingdom, who's purpose is to destroy me. He  
wants to destroy me, as well as my friends so that the dark kingdom can take over the world."  
  
She looked at the now even more confused faces, and sighed. She glanced around and made  
sure that no one was nearby. "This might help." she said. With that, she threw her hand up in  
the air, shouting, "Venus Power Make-up!"   
  
The pilots stared in awe as she transformed into Sailor Venus. Once the transformation was  
finished, she continued her explanation. "I am the senshi of love and beauty, Sailor Venus.   
Protector of Princess Serenity and the future Crystal Tokyo. I have powers given to me from my  
home planet, Venus.   
  
"Peridot, as well as all other agents of the dark kingdom posses some kind of power. That's how  
he deflected Quatre's bullet."  
  
The four pilots stared at Minako in shock, fear, and stupidity (AN: one   
in   
particular there).   
"Uh...Um...I feel a little dizzy." Duo said, grabbing hold of a   
wall.   
"Excuse me." He ran to the bathroom with a greenish face.  
Hiiro and Wufei pointed there guns at her.  
Trowa showed no emotion. "Don't shoot her. We can tell soon   
enough if   
what she saying is true."  
  
"Please, you have to believe that I didn't and wouldn't do anything to hurt Quatre." she pleaded.   
"I didn't know that Peridot followed me here, but as it turns out, he's the one that sent me to your  
world." she continued, "I know all about OZ and the Gundam pilots, now you know all about me  
and the senshi. As far as I'm concerned, we're even. Now please, let's try to get along."  
  
"Excuse me." A nurse said, tapping Minako on the shoulder. "We   
have some   
news on your friend."  
The short nurse was quickly surrounded by the three pilots.  
"Um... Who are you? Are you more of Winner-san's friends?"She   
asked.  
"Is he okay?" Duo asked, entering the room.  
"He should be alright... Luckily the bullet missed his heart. But   
if   
you don't mind me asking. How did he receive this bullet wound?" she   
asked.  
Duo looked towards Hiiro.   
"Hunting accident." Hiiro replied.  
"But there's no hunting on the coloni-"  
"When can we see him?" Duo interrupted.  
"...um... well... How did he receive a hunting wound if there's   
nothing   
to hu-"  
"When can we see him?" Wufei asked angrily.  
"Ah....SECURITY!" The nurse screamed.  
  
"No! There's no need for you to call security, ma'am." Minako said, trying to calm her down.   
"Our friend here," she walked up close to the nurse and quietly continued, "He get's a little out of  
control at times. You may want to look into having him admitted to the psychiatric unit...." she  
finished, ignoring the glare that she received from Wufei.  
  
"Anyway, these four are with me, and we'd like to see our friend now." she said with a sweet  
smile.  
  
The confused nurse gave Minako a nervous smile. "Alright, room   
B-22."  
They began to walk towards the room.  
  
"Hunting accident?!" Minako asked, exasperated just as the nurse was out of earshot. "What  
kind of answer is that?!?!" She ignored the death glare that she received and looked up to see a  
door labeled B-22. "Here we are." she said, quietly. She looked at the others, and opened the  
door.   
  
When she walked in, the first thing Minako saw was Quatre lying in the hospital bed. Tubes  
were hooked up all over his body, and a huge bandage covered the spot where his chest was shot.   
Wires ran from his body to machines that blipped and bleeped. It wasn't a pleasant scene, but at  
least she knew that Quatre was all right.  
  
She walked up to the bed and sat down in a chair beside him. She looked down at his peaceful  
face, and gently stroked his hair with her fingers.  
  
Quatre felt someone's hand on his forehead. He tried desperately   
to open   
his eyes, and finally succeeded. The light cut through his eyes and he   
shut   
them again quickly. After blinking a few times, he was able to see.  
At first, he was sure he had died. Because the woman looking down   
on him   
had to be an angel. When he realized who it was, he smiled. Relief   
washed   
over him. He was so happy that Minako was alive.  
He gathered all the strength he could find. Hoping that maybe he   
would   
be able to speak to her. "Are...." he tried to speak. "...you   
alright?" he   
began coughing. Maybe talking wasn't such a good idea...  
  
"Shh! Hush, Quatre. Don't talk." she said, soothingly as she continued to stroke his hair. He  
looked so vulnerable, so weak. She tried her hardest not to let the tears show. She couldn't stand  
to see him in so much pain because of her. "I'm all right." she assured him. "Just rest now.   
Everything is going to be all right."  
  
Quatre smiled up at her. She seemed really worried. He wanted   
to calm   
her down. It made him feel helpless to just lay here while she was in   
pain.  
"Hey there, bud! We busted in here to see ya. Had to take a few   
hostages but... oh well." Duo joked. He sat down on the chair opposite   
of   
Minako.  
Trowa sat at the end of the bed. "Hello," he said. That one word   
was   
enough. Quatre could tell what he meant.  
Hiiro stood near the door. He nodded to acknowledge Quatre.   
"Don't get   
hurt again." he said with anger in his voice. It was the closest   
emotion to   
concern he'd ever shown.  
Wufei was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "I honor   
you."   
He said.  
Quatre smiled and a tear slid down his cheek. "Thanks..." he said   
in a   
raspy voice.  
  
Minako smiled at him. "Everything's going to be all right, Quatre." she said once more, "Listen,  
They know about the senshi now...."she paused, "and I know about the gundams. There are no  
more secrets, unless you guys are aliens or something." she giggled.  
  
  
Duo froze. His face covered with a look of pure terror. It   
quickly   
faded to anger. He looked over at the other pilots. "Alright," he   
said,   
"Who told her? The alien thing was supposed to be a SECRET."  
  
Now Minako was REALLY confused, but she still kept her cool. "Please tell me that you're  
kidding. This day really can't get any worse."  
  
Duo got a sweatdrop. "Of course I'm kidding... Have I ever been   
serious   
in my life?" he asked.  
  
"I really don't think so." Minako smiled. She looked back at Quatre. "I'm so glad that you're all  
right, Quatre." she said quietly. She took his hand into hers, and took a deep breath, realizing  
what she had to do. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave now."   
  
She looked at the shocked expression on Quatre's face. "Peridot is still out there, he's still after me. I don't want to put you in any more danger. Thank you very much for your kindness and hospitality, but I really have to leave." she forced the tears back as she tried to break away from Quatre's hold on her hand.  
  
Quatre held on to Minako's hand with a death grip. Fear clutched   
his   
heart. "Don't leave," he said, "I promised to protect you... Please   
don't   
go... I.... I love you..." Quatre pulled her close into a hug. "I   
love   
you." He said again. "Aishiteru..."  
  
The other pilots looked as though they had become utterly   
fascinated in   
the room's decor. Wufei was staring at the floor tile as though it   
were the   
most interesting thing in the universe. Duo looked at the light. The   
others   
looked around as well.  
  
Minako hugged Quatre back, finally letting the tears fall. "Aishiteru, Quatre." she said quietly.   
She didn't know what to do. Her logic told her to leave, to run away as fast as she could and  
never look back. She couldn't put Quatre or anyone else in this kind of danger again. Her heart,  
however, told her otherwise. She said that she loved him and she meant it! Ever since they first  
met, she had never felt the same. Both sides struggled for a moment, until finally, her heart won.   
She stood back from Quatre, but their hands stayed connected. "I'll stay." she said, "But you  
have to promise me that you'll let me fight my own fights and that you'll keep yourself safe."  
  
Quatre pulled Minako closer. "I promise," he said, "Just don't   
go..."   
He leaned closer and looked into her eyes. "Aishiteru...Motto motto   
aishiteru...."   
Her eyes danced with radiant beauty. She was so beautiful.  
Quatre blushed slightly as he leaned closer still. He felt his   
face   
burn. And then their lips were touching. "Aishiteru..." he whispered,   
kissing her again.  
  
The pilots were beat red. Wufei looked as though he would faint.  
Duo grinned. "You go Quatre!"  
As he received evil glares from Trowa, Wufei, and Hiiro, he   
blushed. "I   
mean," he looked at the window, "What a FABULOUS window treatment!"  
  
Minako placed her hands over Quatre's neck as they kissed. Never in her life had she ever felt so  
wonderful. It all seemed so right, so wonderfully right, so perfectly right, yet so disgustingly  
right. She never wanted this moment to end! She knew that it would, and she knew that she  
would one day have to return home, but for now, none of that mattered. All that mattered was  
being with Quatre. Gods, she was glad that he got her to stay.  
  
When they finally broke for air, Minako looked right back into Quatre's ocean blue eyes. Behind  
them, she saw pure innocence. His heart was the purest of hearts that could never be matched.   
Gods, she loved him. "Aishiteru, too." she said once more.  
  
Quatre stared at the beautiful woman before him. The beautiful,   
kind,   
wonderful woman. Her eyes shined as the stars and her hair fell as the   
waves   
upon her shoulders. No one had ever been so perfect.   
But what he couldn't understand was how she could ever come to love   
him.   
He, who could only think of one word to describe himself.   
Weak.  
He felt weakness towards himself. And he hated himself for it.   
'No   
more,' he told himself, 'no more weakness. I won't show Minako a weak   
person. For her, I can learn to be strong.'  
"Gomen nasai," he said to her, "I shouldn't have worried you.   
Gomen..."  
  
"Don't apologize, Quatre." she said soothingly. "You were only trying to help, and I thank you  
for that." She brushed some hair out of his face. "Peridot is very strong, and he'll stop at nothing  
to destroy me. He won't hesitate to kill anyone that gets in his way, so please, don't try to fight  
him. Instead, let me. All I need is to know that you love me, that will give me the strength that I  
need to win."  
  
Quatre blushed. "Alright... but if I don't interfere with your   
battles   
than you need to promise that you'll stay out of mine," he stated, "I   
know   
that fighting Peridot is probably a great deal more significant than   
protecting the colonies, so please, don't get hurt in a battle that   
does not   
require you."   
  
"That sounds fair." Minako said, reluctantly, "But don't look at your battles as any less important  
than mine. They're just different in how they're fought." She smiled at him. "Now that that's  
over, is there anything that I can do for you?"  
  
Quatre smiled. "You being here is enough." He took her hand.  
Duo coughed. "I think I'll go get some coffee."  
  
Just as Duo left the room, another nurse walked in. "Good afternoon!" she said in a cheery  
voice. "Your tests have all come back. You should be able to go back home in just a couple of  
days."  
  
Quatre smiled sweetly at the nurse. "Thank you." He said with pure   
innocence.   
Hiiro realized something. Something HORRIBLE. "Duo said he was   
going to   
get coffee." he stated.  
Wufei's eyes bulged.   
They both took out their guns and ran towards the coffee room.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Duo looked at the two types of coffees. Decaf or regular... so   
many   
choices.... He shrugged and poured a cup of regular...  
  
back in Quatre's room  
  
Minako watched as the two pilots left the room. "What's up with them?" she asked in confusion.  
  
"Well...." Quatre started, "Duo just went to get coffee...." He   
knew   
that was all he needed to say.  
  
Minako was still confused. All she knew was the Duo was leaving to get coffee, and apparently,  
that was a VERY bad thing.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Duo drank down the coffee. He smiled. 'Hey, this is pretty good!"   
he   
thought "just needs a little sugar." He poured himself another cup and   
added   
about half a cup of sugar.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Hiiro and Wufei looked frantically for Duo. Coffee+Duo= death to   
all!   
(otherwise known as extreme hyperness.)  
  
In the room  
  
Quatre got a sweatdrop. "Duo doesn't deal well with caffeine...."  
  
At hearing those words, Minako got very nervous. "Um, do you think that they'll need my help?"  
  
Quatre smiled. "I don't think there's anything you can do... He's   
very   
hyper with caffeine."  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Duo gulped down his coffee and poured some more. "C-O-F-F-E-E   
coffee is   
not for me! It's a drink some people waaake up with that is makes them   
nervous is nooo myth. Slaves to a coffee cup- they won't give coffee   
up!"   
Duo sang.   
  
Back in Quatre's Room  
  
"Okay then." Minako said. "Just as long as no one gets hurt."  
  
"Well..." Quatre started, "Duo might get hurt by Hiiro or   
Wufei...."  
  
Minako sighed. "Well, looks like we'll just have to wait this out, huh?"  
  
Quatre nodded. "And pray he doesn't burn the building down."  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Duo gulped down his 5th cup of coffee.   
Wufei and Hiiro ran into the room and pointed their guns at him.   
"Did   
you have any coffee?" Wufei asked.  
Duo smiled. "'Course not!" he laughed insanely. "Well... maybe a   
teensy   
bit."  
Hiiro looked down at the 5 empty cups. "He drank some."  
  
Meanwhile  
  
"I hope that the others are okay." Minako trailed off. Minako, Quatre and Trowa remained quiet  
until a loud scream broke the silence.  
  
  
Notes: That's it for now! Now it's your job to review! ^^v Also send comments to Kattie,  
(Kattie41@aol.com). Ja! ^^v 


	6. Chapter Five

Labyrinth  
  
Notes: Hey peoples! Sorry that it took so long to get this out! I lost my disk that had ALL of Labyrinth on it. Luckily, Kattie-chan sent the whole thing back to me! *HuGz* Kattie-nee-chan. Anyhoo, here's another chapter of love, angst and complete insanity! Enjoy! ^^v  
  
P.S. Sorry if the formatting is kinda...funky...*sweatdrop*  
  
Duo screamed as Hiiro shot a bullet past his head.  
"That could've   
hit   
me!" he yelled. A sneer covered his face. "But if  
THAT'S how you want   
to   
play..." he pulled out his own gun and shot past  
Hiiro's head.   
"BWAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA!"  
Hiiro didn't so much as flinch. "Omae o korosu!"  
he said shooting   
again.  
Duo smiled. "I feel like a cowboy!" He shot off  
another 3   
bullets.  
  
meanwhile  
  
Fear covered Quatre's heart as he heard the  
gunshot. "Um...maybe   
we   
should check on them?"  
  
Minako nodded. "You stay here." she said, "I'll go  
make sure that they all come out of there alive." She  
ran out of the room before Quatre had a chance to say  
anything else.  
  
Once she reached the coffee room, she ran right up to  
the three pilots. She saw that Duo and Hiiro had  
their guns pointed at eachother. She walked up to  
them as calmly as possible, shaking her head. "Now,  
now, boys. You know better than to try and shoot  
eachother right here in the hospital! People here are  
trying to sleep!"  
  
Duo looked over at Minako. "You're right! How  
inconsiderate of   
me! I'll shoot Hiiro later... In the meantime..."   
He stared around   
blankly. His gaze moved over to the coffee again.   
Hiiro followed Duo's glance. He shot a bullet at  
the coffee and it   
spilled on the floor.  
Tears came to Duo's eyes. "Hiiro! HOW COULD  
YOU?! Shinigami is   
back!"   
Bullets flew through the air again.  
  
  
"AAHH!!" Minako screamed as she threw herself to the  
floor. 'This is not at all what I had hoped to  
accomplish..' she thought, shaking her head.   
Suddenly, she got an idea. "I know!" she shouted with  
excitement. She carefully made her way over to the  
coffee pots, making sure not to get hit by the flying  
bullets. When she reached the table, she saw that  
Hiiro had only shot the regular coffee, there was  
still decaf. "Perfect!" she said as she poured a cup.  
"Duo!" she shouted to get his attention, "Here's some  
coffee!!" 'This should make him happy.' she thought,  
'Now he can have his coffee, and we can have our  
peace.'  
  
Duo raced over to the coffee. "Coffee Coffee!!!!   
COFFEE!!!!"   
  
Minako happily handed Duo the cup of coffee. "There,  
now, no more shooting, kay?" she said with a sweet  
smile.  
  
Duo smiled at Minako. "Thank you!!!" He hugged  
her before   
clapping with   
delight. "Coooooofffffeeeee!"  
Hiiro stared at Minako with hatred.  
  
"Hey," she said to Hiiro, "At least he isn't drinking  
anymore caffeine!"  
  
Hiiro eyes the coffee cup and watched as Duo  
poured about a cup of   
sugar   
into it. His glare fixed on Minako.  
  
"Ehehehehe.." Minako laughed nervously. "I didn't  
think about that..."  
  
Duo smiled and chugged down some more sugar.   
"SUUUUGAAAR!" he   
cried   
happily.  
  
Minako let out a sigh as she slumped down to the floor  
in defeat. "This is hopeless.." she said sadly.  
  
Hiiro sighed and shot the sugar.  
Duo's eyes filled with rage. "Hiiro destroy coffee AND sugar!!!! You...you...  
TRAITOR!!!"he lunged at Hiiro, who took a step back dodging Duo- and sending him flying  
towards the wall.  
"Ouchie...." Duo murmered.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Quatre had a huge sweatdrop. 'What on earth is going on?'  
  
"What on earth is going on here?!?!" demanded an angry  
voice. Minako, Hiiro, Duo and Wufei all looked up to  
see a VERY angry nurse. "Out!! OUT! All of you!   
This instant!!!"  
  
Duo sighed and looked very displeased with himself. "I'm sorry..."  
  
"Sorry won't cover it! Just look at this mess!!!!?  
the nurse yelled.  
  
"I promise to never do it again." Duo vowed.  
  
  
  
"Just leave! Get out of here now, before I get  
ANGRY!" The nurse shouted.  
  
"Aren't you already angry?" Duo asked.  
  
The nurse laughed an evil laugh. "Angry?? No! I'm  
not angry yet! Bwahahaha!!!"  
  
"Sorry ma'am! We're leaving now!" Minako said,  
dragging Duo out the door.  
  
Duo got angry. "You have no respect for people's feelings! Or for the law! This is the  
United States of Space Colony 04 and I have a right to be here! MEAN LADY!" Duo stuck out  
his tongue :P visual aid  
  
Minako watched as the nurse's face turned red and  
smoke started coming out of her ears. "Ehehe...LET'S  
GO!!" she shouted, dragging out all of the guys and  
slamming the door behind her.  
  
Duo glared at the door. "What a MEAAAAAn lady."  
  
Minako sighed. "Why am I even here?" she whined.  
  
"That is the question we all ask," Duo said, "Why are we here? What is the meaning of  
life? I figure the meaning is to...um....jeez.....I dunno!"  
  
"Duo?" Minako asked as her eyebrow twitched.  
  
"Hmm?" he asked sweetly.  
  
"SHUTTUP!!!!" she shouted.  
  
Tears welled up in Duo's eyes. "You're sniff mean! I'm going to talk to sniff  
Quatre! He's the only sniff nice one around here!"  
  
Minako watched as Duo ran off down the hall. She  
sighed. "Is he always like this?" she asked Hiiro and  
Wufei.  
  
They both just glared in response.   
  
meanwhile  
  
Duo ran into Quatre's room. "QUAATREEEEE!!!! Minako's MEAAAAAAN!"  
Quatre got a sweatdrop.  
  
"I HEARD THAT!!!" Minako shouted as she burst through  
the door. "Besides, if it weren't for you and your  
stupid caffeine rush, I wouldn't even BE mad!!!"  
  
Duo ran to the other side of the bed. "Mean lady! Caffeine is good for the mind and  
soul! THHHHHEEE best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup!" (Folgers is Trademarked  
and we didn't ask to use them. We don't own Folgers. But we do advertise in this ficcie for  
FREE. sniff would've been nice to get some money tho')  
  
  
Minako placed her head in her hands. "You're worse  
than Usagi!" she scolded Duo. "Quatre.." she pleaded,  
"Make it stop! Just make it stop!"  
  
Quatre sighed. He shoved his plate of hospital food (icky!) over to Duo. "Would you like  
some?" He asked sweetly.   
"OOOOOH! Yes please!" Duo inhaled the food and turned pale. "Yucky! This is hospital food.   
You KNOW I HATE HOSPITAL FOOD!" Duo sighed. "You ruined my hyper moment."  
  
Minako laughed. "FINALLY!!!" She smiled sweetly at  
Quatre. "Thank you!" she said, "You saved my life,  
and his!"  
  
Quatre smiled. "You're welcome," he looked around, "Did he get into any trouble?"  
  
Minako got a sweatdrop. "Trouble?!?! Oh no!" she  
shouted sarcastically, "He and Hiiro only almost shot  
eachother to death! No biggie!!"  
  
Quatre got a sweatdrop. "Well at least nobody got hurt."  
  
Minako sighed. "I won't comment....." she sat down  
next to Quatre. "Anyway," she started, changing the  
subject, "How are you doing now?"  
  
"I'm doing alright." Quatre replied with a smile. "Is your arm better?" he asked, his  
expression changing to concern.  
  
Minako smiled warmly at Quatre. "It'll be fine." she  
said. "Thank you." She placed her hand on his, and  
gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm just glad that you're  
all right."  
  
Duo sighed. "I better go apologize to Hiiro before he kills me." He walked down the  
hall.  
Quatre blushed, remembering their last moment together. 'I can't believe I actually told  
her...'  
  
Minako gave him a quick peck on the forehead. "You  
get some rest, now." she said as she stood up. "I'm  
going to go outside for just a minute to get some air.  
I'll be back shortly." She released the grip on his  
hand and walked out of the room.  
  
Once she got outside, she sat down on a bench, buried  
her head in her hands and cried. 'Why does he have to  
be so perfect?" she agonized to herself. 'I'll have  
to leave sometime, but I can't bear the thought of  
leaving him.'  
  
"What's wrong, my dear?" a familiar voice asked.  
  
Minako knew right away who it was, but she didn't  
bother to transform. "Leave me alone, Peridot." she  
said, coldly. "This is all your fault."  
  
Peridot chuckled. "Oh, please." he said, "You know  
perfectly well that you put yourself in this  
situation! If you had surrendered to me, you never  
would have had to go through this."  
  
"Leave me alone!" she hissed, a look of hatred  
emanating from her eyes.  
  
"Now, now," he said coolly, "Don't bother yourself to  
put up a fight this time. All I ask is that you  
surrender to me, and none of your soldier friends will  
get hurt."  
  
Minako gasped. "Where are they?!?! What have you  
done with them?!?!"  
  
"Nothing too horrible..yet." he replied with a sly  
grin.  
  
Minako clenched her fists until they turned white.   
'What am I going to do?' she wondered to herself.  
  
  
Quatre watched Minako from the hospital window. He watched Peridot come and  
watched her talk to him. He cursed under his breath. 'Why did I promise? Now she's going to  
get herself hurt... Unless I find the loop hole in my promise.... Gomen nasai Minako but I won't  
let you get hurt....' "Guys..." he called out, feeling weak and somewhat evil.  
Hiiro, Wufei, Trowa, and Duo walked in. They had obviously been listening at the door.   
"....will you do me a favor?"  
  
meanwhile  
  
'I can't let this happen...' Minako said to herself.   
'What if he's bluffing?' she wondered.  
  
"Let's not waste any more time now, princess." Perdot  
said. "There's no way that you'll win this. Just  
surrender and I'll spare you."  
  
Minako thought for a moment, then finally reached a  
decision. 'I'm no good if I'm captured. I have to  
fight!' She thrust her hand up in the air as Peridot  
gave her a confused look.  
  
"VENUS POWER--MAKE-UP!!" she shouted.  
  
Quatre smiled at his friends. "Thank you." he said sweetly.  
"No problem." Duo replied. "Just make sure ya get better."  
The four other pilots left the room. Leaving Quatre alone with his sniper.  
Quatre stared at the sniper riffle, not sure it was the best idea. 'I can't break my promise-  
but I won't let her get hurt.' He put the point of the sniper out the window and watched them  
clearly. 'If he tries to hurt her....'  
  
meanwhile  
  
"We shouldn't be doing this for a baka onna." Wufei spat.  
"It's better than him getting hurt again." Duo insisted.  
They walked outside and watched Minako. They would show themselves when the time  
was right. And protect her for their buddy Quatre.  
  
meanwhile  
  
"Venus love-me chain!!" Sailor Venus shouted as she  
sent her chain flying in Peridot's direction.  
  
Peridot simply stepped out of the way of the chain,  
then sent a beam of black energy straight at Minako,  
who jumped out of the way just as easily as Peridot  
did. He shook his head. "Why must you make this  
harder on yourself and your friends? You do realize  
that this is not in their best interest." he scolded.  
  
Minako scowled. "Liar!" she shouted as she powered up  
again.  
  
"Not this time." he said with confidence as he  
directed another blast at Minako.  
  
Quatre watched the beam in horror. He didn't know anything about it except that it  
would hurt his beloved Minako. 'I'm sorry Minako. But I can't let you get hurt.' He shot off his  
sniper and hit the beam.  
  
Peridot let out a scream as the beam blew up right in  
front of him. "Kuso!" he swore.  
  
Minako looked up in the direction of where the bullet  
was shot from. There, she immediately recognized the  
platinum-blonde hair. 'Quatre,' she thought, 'You  
little sneak.....Thanks...' She looked back at  
Peridot, who was also looking up in Quatre's  
direction.  
  
He smirked, then built up another bunch of energy,  
this time directing it at Quatre.  
  
Quatre stared at the beam. 'It worked once...maybe it'll work again.' He aimed the sniper  
at the second beam, praying that it work.  
Minako thought fast. She couldn't let Quatre get  
hurt, so she flung herself in front of the beam just  
as the sound of a gunshot pierced her ears. At the  
very same moment, a sharp pain tore through her back  
as she fell to the ground, hurt and confused.  
  
Quatre stared down at Minako. He watched her body fall limp to the ground, blood  
staining her back red. Confusion covered his senses and his entire sense of reality was lost  
among it. 'Minako....Dear God....what have I done....' "Minako..." he whispered.   
Quatre leaned out the window and looked at her. "MINAKO!" he screamed. Without  
reason controlling his choices, decisions would be hasty. Angrily, he began climbing down the  
drainpipe. 'Damnit! It's not fast enough.' With rage screaming in his head, he let go of the pipe  
and fell to the ground.  
Pain soared through his confused body as he began to crawl over to his fallen love.   
"MINAKO!" he screamed again. With tiredness washing over him, Quatre allowed his body to  
fall next to Minako's. With trembling hands, he took her wrist and checked for a pulse.  
There was none to be found...  
"Minako." he whispered, tears trailing down his cheeks. 'I killed her.... I killed Minako...   
I'm an angel killer...' Slowly he reached his hand down to his pocket and pulled out a shining  
silver gun. He pushed the end of it to his forehead. "I'm sorry Minako," he whispered, "Gomen  
nasai...."   
A shot rang through the air.  
  
  
  
Notes: OOOHHH! I feel SOOO evil! Don't you just love cliffies?! *runs away from readers* EEP! Don't worry! The more reviews we get, the sooner we'll post. We still have tons more of the story, just sitting here for our own enjoyment. Hehehehehe.... Anyhoo, please review and send comments to Kattie41@aol.com. Those ones count too! She's gonna tell me how many she gets, and if she gets enough and I get enough, we'll post more. So it's really simple...REVIEW! ^^v 


	7. Chapter Six

Labyrinth  
  
  
Notes: HEY poeple! We're baaaaaccckkk! Mwahahahaha!!!!! Thanks to all who reviewed....cliffhangers have this way of making some people review, whether they want to or not. Hehe. Reviewing really is very important! Don't think so? Just read "The End of the Sailor Senshi?!?!" by me. ^^v It'll hopefully clear things up a bit. ^^v  
  
Anyhoo, KEEP REVIEWING!! Especially to Kattie! The poor girl is DESPERATE for reviews! They give her inspiration! When we write this, we each do one paragraph or so at a time, so if she loses inspiration, I don't write! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send her a review as well, her e-mail address is Kattie41@aol.com.   
  
Disclaimer:   
Kattie: *runs and checks the mail*  
PV: *gasp* The mail is here?!?! YAY!!! *runs to find Kattie*  
Kattie: *sorting through mail, seperating it into two piles, one for PV, one for her* Bill..*puts it into PV's pile(evil grin)*...Bill..*PV's pile*.....magazine *Kattie's pile*(^^)...  
PV: *walks in* HEY! Where'd all these bills come from?!?! Beautifully Beautiful Hair Supplies?!?! I don't order from them(I don't need to ^^v)!   
Kattie: Well it's not mine!  
*Hiiro walks in very silently, grabs the bill from PV and walks back out*  
PV & Kattie: O_o  
Kattie: OOOHHH!! OOOHHH!!! Here it is!!!  
PV: *gasp* REALLY?!?! Lemme see it! Lemme see it!  
Kattie: *reads* *gasp* NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!  
PV: What is it?!?! *grabs letter from PV* *reads* NOOOOOOO!!!!  
PV & Kattie: *in unison* WE DON'T OWN GUNDAM WING AND SAILOR MOON!!!!!!!!!! *SOB*  
PV: Wait a sec!  
Kattie: ??  
PV: What about all those credit card bills?? Since I thought that we owned Gundam Wing & Sailor Moon, I was expecting a HUGE check in the mail, so I uh...  
Kattie: WHAT?!?! NANI?!?! NO! you didn't!!!!!!!!!!  
PV: *nervous laughter*  
Kattie: *chases PV* I'm gonna kill you!!  
PV: EEP!  
  
The moral of the story: We do not own Gundam Wing and/or Sailor Moon  
Yaten: You could have just said that in the first place.  
PV & Kattie: *stick out tongues*  
  
Here's the story!!! Enjoy!  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
Minako slowly opened her eyes as she looked around at  
her surroundings. She looked over and saw Quatre,  
holding his hand, staring at it in shock, then she  
looked over a bit further and saw Hiiro with his gun  
pointed right at Quatre's hand, a light trail of smoke  
rising from it's tip. 'What's going on?' she  
wondered. She struggled to speak, but the pain was  
too much for her to bear. Her vision turned to  
darkness as her eyes rolled closed and she lost  
consciousness.  
  
Quatre turned to Hiiro. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT!" he screamed.   
Hiiro looked at him with anger in his eyes. "I could say the same to you."  
A glint of silver caused Quatre to look to his right. He could barely make out his gun in  
the distance. Trying with every ounce of strength he had left, Quatre limped onto one foot,  
standing. His other leg was bent in an unnatural direction.  
Slowly and painfully, he limped towards the shining beauty.  
Hiiro noticed him and walked over to the gun. He picked it up and threw it out of sight.  
Failure washed in with Quatre's other painful emotions and he let himself fall once again.   
"Damnit," he cursed, "why can't you just let me end it?"  
Hiiro watched him in confusion. "Why would you want to?"  
"Why do you think? I deserve it! Look what I did to Minako. And those OZ agents... I'm  
a murderer! I can't even fight. I'm not worthy of Sandrock. And I wasn't worthy of Minako...  
I'm weak..."  
"You're not weak..."  
"Yes I am... If I had half of the strength you have I'd be twice as strong as I am now...  
That's what makes you such a great person... you're strength. Every one is likable for a reason...  
Duo has his humor and friendliness.... Wufei his honor... Trowa- his bravery... but I have  
nothing! Only weakness! I killed Minako! It wasn't supposed to hit her... Hiiro... please... one  
favor...please kill me..."  
  
Peridot smiled. "That's a good idea." he said, "It'll  
make my job easier, and now, I don't have to feel bad  
about it either, because we all know that you deserve  
it."  
  
He watched Quatre's eyes widen, so he went on with his  
torture. "It's all your fault, Quatre, and you know  
it. If it weren't for you, she'd still be here, alive  
and well. You cut her life short." he paused and let  
out a small snicker. "I thought that your job was to  
protect the innocent, not murder them." he said,  
cruelly as Quatre hung his head.  
  
Quatre stared down at the pavement, wondering how many times he'd need to hit his head  
on it before dying. Anger, sadness and confusion covered every thought. Pain soared through  
his emotions. His true personality fell between them and was locked away.  
Quatre stood up and stared at Peridote with an evil smirk. "Perhaps I deserve to die, but I  
don't intend to go alone. Heh heh heh.... BWA HAHAHAH HAHAH HAHA!" just f.y.i. for the  
newer GW fans- Quatre has gone crazy due to emotional trauma He laughed insanely as he  
jumped at Peridot and began attacking.  
  
~Minako's Dream~  
  
Minako found herself floating in some kind of void. "Where am I?" she  
wondered aloud. "Am I dead?"  
  
"No, Princess," a soft voice replied, "You're not dead. You're asleep.   
But you have to wake up. Quatre needs you."  
  
Minako gasped. "What's wrong? Is he okay?"  
  
"He won't be if you don't help him soon...." the voice said as a scene  
appeared around Minako. The source of the voice appeared, it was Queen  
Selenity(y'know, Princess Selenity's mom).  
  
"Oh! Queen Selenity!" Minako shouted as she knelt down to the ground.  
  
The Queen placed a hand on Minako's shoulder. "Don't take the time for  
that now," she said, "Go and help Quatre."  
  
"But how?" Minako wondered, "I don't know where I am much less how to get  
back."  
  
Queen Selenity smiled. "I'll take care of that. Just close your eyes,  
and wait."  
  
Minako smiled back. "Thank you." she said, closing her eyes as she was  
instructed to.  
  
~End Dream~  
  
Peridot fought Quatre, and was obviously going to win. He was much  
stronger than Quatre at the time. "It's time to end this little game  
now!" he shouted as he prepared to strike Quatre with a blast.   
  
He looked down at Quatre's pathetic form, when something blinded him.   
There was a intense light coming from Minako's direction. He shielded his  
eyes until the light subsided. Once it did, he saw Minako's eyes open.  
  
"Kuso.." he swore under his breath as Minako stood up and stared right at  
him.   
  
She didn't say a word, just ran right over to the dumbfounded Quatre.   
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him, sending the light  
from her body to his, healing him of all his wounds.  
  
Quatre stared at Minako for a moment. "You're...alive?....." He turned away. 'I almost  
killed her... I'm not worthy of her love...' "I'm sorry Minako." he stated trying to keep his voice  
from shaking. "But I need to leave now. I'm sorry. I'm not worthy of you... Gomen nasai....  
Aishiteru....."   
He took off running. Tears streaked down his face and pain soared through his chest. He  
could feel her confusion... and her hurt. And he couldn't bear it.   
Quatre doubled over in pain. He screamed as the pain in his chest threatened to spread.   
'I'm sorry Minako...' his mind cried.  
  
"QUATRE!" Minako shouted as she took off after her  
love. She ran up to him and knelt beside him. Taking  
his hand into hers, she placed it on her cheek,  
letting her tears slide down his fingers. "Quatre,"  
she cried softly, "Don't you even think for a minute  
that you don't deserve my love. It is I who doesn't  
deserve you, so let's just put everything behind us.   
Let's forget all about what happened. Let's just live  
on. Onegai, Quatre. Don't ever leave  
me.....Aishiteru..."  
  
"I'm sorry." Quatre whispered. "I'm so sorry.... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you... gomen  
nasai..." he held his chest as he continued to feel her pain. "please forgive me."  
  
"Oh, Quatre!" she cried as she rested her head against  
his chest. "Of course I forgive you!"  
  
"Aww, how sweet." Peridot said, "Now can we get back  
to what we were doing? I really don't have time to  
stand by and watch."  
  
Minako stood up and faced Peridot. "KAMI!!! Will you  
just leave us alone?!?!" she shouted as she threw her  
chain out in his direction.  
  
Quatre watched Minako fight. Her eyes shone with pure hatred but she still looked  
beautiful. 'I can't help her fight,' Quatre thought, 'every time I try to help her, she ends up hurt...'   
He stared up at the sky. 'Please give me strength, mother.'  
  
Peridot sent another blast at Minako as she dodged it  
expertly. Nothing could get in her way now. She  
wanted revenge, and that was exactly what she was  
going to get.  
  
Peridot finally hit her with his black energy, and she  
fell to the ground.  
  
"Pathetic.." Peridot laughed.  
  
Minako looked straight at him, struggling to keep her  
blurry vision in focus. She was running out of  
strength, and fast. With one last, final attempt she  
placed her finger on the center of her tiara. As she  
did, it started to glow, sending white light all  
around her.   
"I will not forget what you've done to me and my  
friends!" she shouted, hate clinging to every word,  
"You are evil, and good ALWAYS wins over evil! This  
is your time, Peridot!"  
  
For the first time, Peridot was actually nervous. In  
all of his years, he had never encountered someone so  
powerful, so determined. "Just go ahead and try!" he  
challenged, trying to look confident.  
  
Minako placed her hands in front of her as a light  
built between them, then, with all of her might, she  
sent the energy forth, hoping to finally rid the world  
of Peridot, but to her dismay, the light vanished only  
two feet before reaching him.  
  
Peridot laughed as a wave of relief rushed over him.   
"HA!" he shouted, "You're too weak! No one can stop  
me!"  
  
Minako hung her head low. 'I can't do this.' she  
thought to herself, 'I need help.' Just as she  
finished her thought, she felt two strong arms wrap  
themselves around her. She looked back at the  
innocent blue eyes. "You promised.." she whispered, a  
crystalline tear falling down her cheek.  
  
Quatre smiled at Minako's words and shyly kissed her cheek. "Some promises are meant to be  
broken." he whispered.  
  
Minako smiled back. "Thank you." she whispered. She  
turned back to face Peridot. A new confidence filled  
her as she felt Quatre's love for her giving her  
strength.  
  
"You won't win this time!" she shouted.  
  
Peridot took a small step back. "We shall see!" he  
replied, sending his strongest blast toward the  
couple.  
  
Minako closed her eyes and concentrated, calling on  
her purest and strongest power. The light built up  
between her hands once more, even brighter than the  
last time. She glanced back at Quatre just one more  
time before shouting her command. 'Please let this  
work...' she prayed.   
  
"VENUS POWER!!!!"(f.y.i. This is different than her  
transformation) she shouted, sending the white beam  
out. Both the powers of good and evil collided and  
fought to push the other out of the way.   
  
They wrestled for a moment until finally, the black  
energy weakened, vanishing before their eyes, giving  
the white light a clear path straight to Peridot. He  
screamed as the white light hit him, sending waves of  
pain throughout his entire body. "I WILL NOT BE  
DEFEATED!!" were his last words before he completely  
disintegrated.  
  
The light returned to Minako and she collapsed into  
Quatre's arms, her energy gone. "We..we did it.." she  
smiled weakly.  
  
  
Quatre held her closely. "You did great." he whispered. Gently he kissed her forehead.  
  
Minako closed her eyes and sighed. "Can we go home  
now?" she asked weakly as her sailor fuku lit up and  
changed back into her normal clothes.  
  
Quatre's heart lit up when she said home. 'Maybe she's getting used to it here.' he  
thought. "Of course we can." Slowly he took her into his arms and carried her. "You shouldn't  
walk after that."  
  
Minako rested her head against Quatre's chest. "Thank  
you, Quatre..." she said quietly, "Aishiteru..." she  
finished before finally falling asleep.  
  
Quatre carried Minako back towards where the other pilots were.   
Hiiro glared at him. "We have a mission."  
Quatre nodded and set Minako down on a bench. "When do we need to leave?"   
"Now."  
Quatre gently kissed Minako's cheek. "I'll catch up with you." he said to Hiiro.  
Hiiro scowled at him. "This is important."  
"I need to drop Minako off. I can't take her."  
"She'll be fine here."  
"You don't know that. Would you leave Relena here if you were in my shoes?"  
Hiiro mumbled something about, "that being different" and began to walk away.   
"Contact us when you've reached your gundam."  
"Okay." Quatre replied with a sweet smile.  
  
later  
  
Quatre watched Minako sleep. He had set up a guest room for her in his house. "I'm  
sorry, Minako. But I won't see you hurt because of me again. Aishiteru." He turned to leave.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Notes: So?? How'd ya like it? Now PLEASE review!! And don't forget Kattie!!! She works VERY hard on this! Kattie41@aol.com  
  
And if you're all good reviewers, we might decide to put previews for the next chapter each time. Sound good? hehe 


	8. Chapter Seven

Labyrinth  
  
  
Notes: Hey people! Here's more!!! You guys had better start reviewing more...we're almost  
caught up with what we have written and we're gonna need some inspiration! *Kattie nods* So  
please send reviews to me, via fanfiction.net and Kattie at Kattie41@aol.com. Arigato! Now,  
enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer:*Kattie & PV walk into the room with huge smiles*  
  
Kattie: *opens her mouth to say something*  
Yaten: THEY DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON OR GUNDAM WING!  
PV: Hey! That wasn't nice!  
Kattie: *sticks out tongue*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
later  
  
Minako stirred as she started to wake up. She turned  
over and felt the soft covers brush against her skin.   
She opened her eyes and found herself in a strange new  
room, but she didn't care. She knew that Quatre had  
brought her here, that he would always protect her.  
  
"Quatre.." she thought aloud, remembering the day's  
events. She sat up in her bed and glanced around the  
room. 'Guess I'll have to do some exploring..' she  
thought to herself as she set her feet onto the floor.  
  
She left the room, shutting the door behind her and  
setting off down the hall.  
elsewhere  
  
Quatre sat in silence inside of his Gundam. They had to wait for the OZ troops do be  
dismissed.   
"Are they GOONE YET?" Duo asked quietly in an annoying voice.  
"Baka! You just asked that a minute ago." Wufei replied  
"I know! But are they GOOONE YET?"  
There was silence and all that could be heard from Wufei's gundam was a *thwak* such  
of someone hitting their head on a wall in frustration.  
Quatre smiled. "They shouldn't leave for another 1/2 hour."  
"I'm BOOOOORED. OOH I'll play minesweeper.  
"You put minesweeper on your gundam's controls?" Hiiro asked angrily.  
"Yah!" Duo replied happily. "AGH I lost!"  
  
  
meanwhile  
  
Minako hummed to herself as she continued to explore  
the huge mansion. Each and every room that she  
explored was beautiful in it's own unique way.   
  
She walked into one room that had a large mirror on  
the wall. She stared at her dirty, disheveled  
reflection. She hadn't showered or changed since she  
arrived in this strange new world. "How could he love  
this?" she wondered aloud, wiping a smudge of dirt  
away from her face. Needless to say, it didn't help  
much.   
  
She sighed as she sat down on the floor and continued  
to stare at her reflection. "Wherever you are,  
Quatre, I hope you're all right."  
  
[meanwhile]  
  
"ARE THEY GOOONE YET!" Duo asked.  
"Almost." Quatre replied. He watched his clock a few more minutes. "Troops Dismissal  
Completed."  
"Mission Commencing." Hiiro stated.  
The pilots got ready for battle.  
  
[meanwhile]  
  
A man with dark eyes and dark clothing watched the pilots. "Soon... soon I will get my  
revenge."  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Minako continued to explore the house until she  
finally found a shower. First, she filled up the tub  
with soapy water and did the best she could to wash  
her clothes in it. She hung them on the towel rack to  
dry as she showered.  
  
[at the same point in time]  
  
Hiiro fired off the first missile, destroying a wall.   
"13 minutes until evacuation." Quatre read off of his screen.  
"We can level this place in 13 minutes." Duo exclaimed, slicing the ceiling with his  
scythe.  
"I don't know...something doesn't feel right." Quatre explained.  
"Well 13 is considered an unlucky number. But its never been bad to me."  
Little red dots appeared all over the radar. The screen seemed to be colored red with  
their amount. The green dots were surrounded.  
"Damnit! They set a trap!" Duo swore.  
"There's too many," Quatre said sadly, "we can't win."  
  
  
meanwhile  
  
Minako winced as the comb pulled on yet another knot  
in her hair. 'Beauty is pain.' she would remind  
herself each day as she completed this task.   
  
She moved her gaze to the window and looked outside at  
the beautiful blue sky. The sun was shining bright.   
Normally, the scene would put her in a cheery mood,  
but for some reason, she felt deep down inside that  
something just wasn't right.  
  
[all the while]  
  
Quatre watched as the mobile suits surrounded them.   
"You are completely surrounded. Come out of your gundams with your hands in the air  
and we will cease fire." An OZ agent yelled, his voice coming over the transmission.  
"Like hell we will," Duo snapped, "Shinigami fights to the death."  
"Duo... do you really think it will help the colonies if we die?" Quatre asked, trying to  
reason with the enraged pilot.  
Duo sighed. "If we go with them we'll be tortured and THEN die. Better to die without  
torture."  
"It is only honorable to fight to the death." Wufei spoke.  
"However, it is dishonorable to die without reason." Quatre explained.  
"There's no way I'm going to be tortured!" Duo yelled.  
Quatre smiled calmly. "Only one of us would need to stay for the rest of us to escape."  
"Hell no! No one's staying behind!" Duo screamed.   
"Calm down, Duo. I'll distract them and the rest of you can escape."  
"No," Hiiro snapped, "we do not abandon our allies."  
"I'm sorry," Quatre whispered, "But I care too much about you to let you die this way.   
Please tell Minako I love her..." He threw his gundam straight into the crowd of mobile suits and  
began fighting with a hidden anger.  
Tears streaked down his face. 'Gomen nasai, Mina-chan.' He struck another suit. "FOR  
MINAKO!" he cried.  
  
In the meantime...  
  
Minako eyes snapped wide open. Something, she didn't  
know what, but something caught her attention.   
It tugged at her heart, as if it were trying to  
tell her something. 'What's wrong?' she wondered.   
She closed her eyes and concentrated on this new  
feeling. She knew right away what was wrong.   
  
"Quatre!" she shouted as she stood up. She ran as  
fast as she could out the door and eventually outside.  
She glanced around at her surroundings. 'Where will  
I go?' she wondered, 'What can I do?'  
  
She looked up in the sky and saw that the sun was  
beginning to set and the moon and venus were visible.   
She looked to Venus and knew exactly which direction  
to follow. 'Something's wrong with Quatre.' she  
thought as she ran towards the evening star, 'I have  
to help him...'  
  
[later and somewhere else]  
  
Quatre glanced at his screen, happy to see that 4 of the green dots had slipped away.   
However, the red dots didn't seem to have gone down at all.   
He shot at a suit to his right and was horrified when no bullets came out. Trying all of  
his other guns, he came to the reality that he was out of ammunition.   
The mobile suits stopped shooting as a voice came over the transmission. "We know you  
are out of bullets. If you come out now with your hands up, we will let you live."  
Quatre sighed and reached for the self-destruct button.   
Suddenly a memory of Minako's voice came into his head. "You have to promise me that  
you'll keep yourself safe."   
Angrily, Quatre pulled out the self-destruct mechanism.  
He opened the door and walked out, with his hands in the air.  
  
[meanwhile]  
  
The man watched Quatre step out of his gundam. A smile crossed his wicked lips. "You  
should have self-destructed."  
  
(at the same point in time)  
  
"We shouldn't have left." Duo yelled.  
"He had already gone in. To not leave would be to make his sacrifice pointless." Trowa  
explained.  
"We'll commence a rescue mission at 13:00 tomorrow." Hiiro said, emotionlessly.  
"That's the main base! That would be suicide... but we can't just leave him... DAMNIT!   
What the hell are we supposed to do?" Duo asked. He sighed and thought for a moment, before  
kneeling down, and doing something he hadn't done in a very long time. "In the name of the  
father, son, and the holy spirit, amen." [no this isn't just ASSUMING he's Christian- he went to  
Maxwell church and was a Catholic. So I'm not being prejudice or anything]  
  
a bit later.  
  
Minako ran as fast as she could and paid no attention  
to the pain in her legs that was begging her to stop.   
She didn't even know where she was going, or even if  
it was the right way. All she could do was follow her  
heart.  
  
She ran further and further down the street until she  
finally saw four figures walking in her direction.   
She immediately recognized them. 'Hiiro, Duo, Trowa,  
Wufei.....wait....where's Quatre?!?!" she wondered.   
She ran right up to them and stopped before them,  
taking a moment to catch her breath.  
  
"Where were you guys?!" she asked frantically,  
"Where's Quatre?!?!"  
  
Duo looked sadly at Minako. "We were fighting enemy mobile suits and he threw  
himself into the mob... he didn't want us to get hurt... I'm sorry Minako... But we'll try to rescue  
him...if he survived." He took her hand. "He told us to tell you he loved you."  
  
{meanwhile}  
  
Quatre watched the guns that were pointed at him. He couldn't escape from the  
numerous amount.   
"He's just a kid!" He heard one OZ agent exclaim.  
"Disarm yourself." Another agent called to Quatre.  
He obediently, pulled out his gun and tossed it across the pavement.   
That's when he felt rings around his wrist. 'Handcuffs.' he thought.  
With his hands now secure, the OZ agents began beating on him. Pain soared through his  
tired body and forced him to the ground.  
"Not so strong without your gundam, eh?" One sneered.  
"Minako..." he whispered, before all went black.  
  
{meanwhile}  
  
The man picked up his phone and punched in some numbers. "Bring the pilot to me." He  
spoke, with a dark aura emanating. "I'll see what I can get out of him."  
  
meanwhile  
  
Minako stood frozen for a moment. All she could do  
was stare straight ahead. She felt Duo squeeze her  
hand and she snapped out of her daze. She looked up  
at him as tears clouded her vision. "It...This can't  
be.." she whispered. Her mind was numb. The  
information that it had just received totally threw  
her off. This couldn't be happening.  
  
"NO!" she screamed, withdrawing her hand from Duo.   
"You're lying! You have to be!" She looked at the  
solemn expressions on the four pilots' faces.   
  
"Please.." she begged, "Please tell me you're lying."  
she cried as the tears fell like twin rivers down her  
cheeks. There was still no reaction from the pilots.   
She realized that they were telling the truth. There  
was nothing that they could do to help it.   
  
"NO!" she screamed as she collapsed to the ground, her  
body wracking with sobs. "Quatre...No!"  
  
Duo sat down on the ground next to Minako. "I'm sorry Minako... I'm... so sorry." he  
whispered. Anger took over his thoughts, and he threw his fist into the pavement. "DAMNIT!   
Why did we leave him? We could've gotten him out of there!"  
"That would be impossible." Hiiro replied.  
"We could have at least tried!" Duo started into hysterics. "We didn't even try! We left  
him there! It's all my fault! I should have stayed with him! DAMNIT I killed Quatre!"  
  
[Meanwhile]  
  
Quatre slowly opened his eyes. It took a moment for them to adjust to the new light.   
The room was mostly dark, but a lamp stood on a desk, letting off a faint light.   
"Woken up, I see." An evil voice asked.  
He thought a bit, for the words to register. It was hard to think through all the pain.   
"Now you will tell us what we want to know."  
Quatre looked around for the speaker, but couldn't see anyone. "I will?"  
"Of course you will," the voice laughed, "whether you want to or not."  
  
Meanwhile  
  
A few minutes had passed, and Minako had since calmed  
down a bit. She didn't speak, she only stared down at  
the pavement. Her heart ached with an unexplainable  
pain, but she realized that crying would help nothing.  
Quatre might still be alive, she still had hope.   
She stood up and brushed herself off and turned to  
face Hiiro.  
  
"I'm going with you tomorrow." she stated with  
authority, "I'm going with you to rescue Quatre."  
  
"Out of the question." Hiiro snapped. "You would only lower our chances of getting him  
out."  
  
  
"Nonsense! I'm just as capable as you are! Maybe  
even more!" she challenged, determined to get her way.  
  
"Are you questioning my authority?!" Hiiro asked angrily.  
  
"What if I am?!" Minako shouted defiantly.  
  
Hiiro put his gun to her forehead. "Omae o korosu."  
  
"Go ahead." she narrowed her eyes to slits, "I dare  
you. Nothing will stop me from helping save Quatre."  
  
Hiiro glared at her for about 5 minutes before putting his gun down. "Alright... you can  
come. Just don't get in my way."  
  
Minako smiled with satisfaction. She knew that he  
wouldn't kill her. Hiiro may seem cold, but she knew  
that he had a heart...somewhere in there.  
  
"All right then." she said in a serious tone, "What's  
the plan?"  
  
"Uh... um... well." Duo started. He blushed and looked away. "There ISN'T one... yet....  
heh heh ^^*..."  
  
"All right." Minako agreed, "So where do we start?"  
  
"Okay!" Duo said, getting excited. "Hiiro- work out the dangerous   
junk!   
Wufei- figure out how to get out undetected! Trowa- Figure out   
breaking the   
lock without setting alarms. I'll figure out how to get in! And   
Minako.....   
find the quickest escape plan just in case.  
  
"Just let me know what to do." she said with  
determination, "I'll do whatever it takes."  
  
"Yeah," Duo said, "Us too."  
  
meanwhile  
  
"Who are the other pilots?" The man asked Quatre.  
"Pilots?" He questioned, trying to clear his mind.  
"Damn soldiers," the man muttered, "Can't get a straight answer out   
of   
him."  
"Soldiers?... Pilots... That's right... there were soldiers...   
everywhere..."  
"Yes, there were soldiers. Which ones weren't you attacking?"  
"I... attacked... everyone... in the crowd... the other pilots   
left..."  
"So you were abandoned?" The man smiled coldly.  
"No... they left... I told them too..."  
"What were their names?"  
"Can't tell..."  
Quatre felt a fist crash into his face.  
"Tell me their names!" The man yelled.  
"Quatre... Quatre was a pilot..."  
"That was a pilot's name?"  
"Yes... Quatre..." Quatre looked up at the man as he picked Quatre   
up by   
the collar.  
"If you're lying I'll kill you."  
"Kill me... kill Quatre?" His vision splurred again, his mind was   
becoming foggier.  
The man dropped him to the ground and left.  
Quatre blinked his eyes a few times, trying to remember. "Quatre?   
Is   
that me?"  
  
that night  
Minako tossed and turned in her sleep. There was no way that she could relax. Not with all that  
was going on.   
She opened up her eyes and looked around the room. Nothing felt right. Every bit of her soul  
screamed for relief..for Quatre to return home.  
She got out of bed and leaned against the open window. "Quatre," she whispered into the night  
as the faint glow of the moon graced her features, "I don't know if you can hear me, Quatre, but I  
know that my soul can feel you. Please come back to me, Quatre. Onegai..."  
  
meanwhile   
  
Quatre looked up at the ceiling. Fear echoed through his head.   
"Who am   
I?" he asked himself over and over. He could remember faint names.   
One   
stood out most of all. "Minako..." he whispered, trying to remember   
who it   
was.  
  
the next morning  
  
"I have done it!" Duo laughed insanely. He has huge bags under his   
eyes   
and his hair was messy. It appeared as if he hadn't slept for a while.   
"We   
commence Operation- Rescue Quatre at 13 hundred hours."  
  
"Guys..." Minako said, a bit worried, "I just thought of something.." she paused and looked at the  
confused faces. "I assume that you'll be traveling in your gundams.."  
  
The others nodded.  
  
"That's the problem, I don't have a gundam!"  
  
Duo sighed. He looked back at the other pilots. "There goes my   
master   
plan! BACK TO WORK PEOPLE."  
  
Minako's eyes widened. "You mean you didn't think about that in your plan?!?!"  
  
Duo blushed. "Well, I'm so used to Quatre being here that I kinda   
put   
his gundam in the plan..." he turned away. "I'm sure you could come in   
my   
gundam though."  
  
Minako sighed. "I guess so...if that's the only way..."  
  
"Great!" Duo exclaimed. "Let's move out!" He rubbed his eyes.   
"Can we   
get some coffee or something though? I've been working all night."  
  
"NOOO!!!" Minako shouted as she ran to block the way  
to the kitchen.  
  
"But I'm TIIIIRED!" Duo whined. "Just a little cup?"  
  
Minako shook her head. "Duo, we have to get ready to rescue Quatre. We don't have time."  
  
"Fine," Duo grumbled, "But if I fall asleep in the middle of a   
battle,   
don't go blaming me."  
  
"Whatever! Let's just get going!" Minako shouted.  
  
"Okay! Operation- Rescue Quatre BEGINS NOW!" Duo grabbed Minako's   
hand   
and ran out of the room. "Come on MINAKOOOOO! We have to hurry! Now   
that   
it has officially began- I don't get sleep until we're back- so I'm   
grumpy.   
Anywho- this mission CAN'T be a failure."  
  
{Meanwhile}  
  
Quatre was startled to consciousness when the door to his cell   
slammed   
open. "Ohayo Gozaimasu." He said, sweetly to the two men who entered.   
One   
of them he recognized as the man who had questioned him before.  
"Tell us what you remember." The new man asked.  
Quatre frowned, and racked his mind, trying to remember   
something...anything. "There were enemies everywhere, and I was   
fighting.   
Then I was questioned. That's all I remember."  
The man nodded. "You were right, sir. It does seem that he has   
amnesia."   
he told the other man.  
"Do you remember the gundams?" Dark-eyes questioned.  
The word "gundam" sparked his memory. "Gundams... I remember... I   
know   
how to pilot them... Was I a pilot?"  
"Kuso!" Dark-eyes swore, punching the wall. "He is useless."  
"Not entirely," New man said, with an evil smirk, "A pilot of his   
skill   
could prove useful... Especially against the other pilots."  
Dark-eyes' expression changed to utter delight with an evil twist.   
"Of   
course..."  
  
meanwhile  
  
Minako's eyes went wide as she looked into the cockpit of Duo's gundam. There was only  
enough room for one person....Quatre's was much bigger than this.... "Hey, uh, Duo? Where do I  
sit?" she asked him, almost dreading the answer.  
  
Duo grinned evilly. "Do you really have to ask?"  
  
Minako sighed in defeat. "Don't tell me...it's better that you don't. Now let's just go.."  
  
"Okay then... Lucky me lucky me lucky me!" Duo sang. "Aw- don't   
worry   
Minako. I already have girlfriend. Besides, I don't find you in the   
least   
bit attractive."  
  
"Oh yeah?!?! Well I feel the same way about you! How about that?!" Minako stated, crossing  
her arms.   
  
Duo got a sweatdrop. "I meant it in a nice way..."  
  
"Whatever.." Minako said, "Let's just get this over with."  
  
"Okay," Duo said, sitting down, "Just remember, this is JUST AS   
FRIENDS.   
Besides, you're Quatre's girl. No problem. Don't hit on her Duo.   
Don't   
even think about it." Duo began talking to himself.   
  
Minako reluctantly walked into Deathscythe's cockpit and sat on Duo's lap. "Please don't make  
me regret this..." she said.  
  
Duo gasped. "You mean you don't ALREADY regret it?"  
  
Minako glared at him. "Don't push it!"  
  
"Alright," Duo replied, "Let's get going." He started the ignition   
and   
the gundam surged forward and off into space. Duo couldn't help but   
grin as   
he went as fast as it was able, doing tricks. "Having fun?" He asked   
Minako.  
  
Minako wished that she had taken some Dramamine. She felt sick! "Um..D-Duo...c-could  
you...please...please slow down??"  
  
Duo stopped immediately. "AH! Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry! Are   
you   
okay? I hadn't thought of that! No more spinning then! And slow   
pace...Hey...Where'd everyone else go?"  
An angry Wufei showed up on the screen. "Baka! Why are you going   
so   
fast? We'll be detected!"  
Duo got a sweatdrop. "Ehehheh...sorry..."  
  
Minako sighed and sat back, jumping up when she heard a yelp beneath her. She turned around  
to see Duo rubbing his nose. "Hehehe...gomen..."  
  
Duo took a deep breath. "Ah, glorious air! I can breathe! Now,   
let's   
get this over with." He flew the gundam through space.  
  
(later)  
  
The gundams silently pulled into the OZ base. Duo turned to   
Minako.   
"It's over too soon."  
  
Minako nodded. "Just tell me what to do."  
  
Duo sighed. "Minako, there's something I haven't told you yet." He   
took   
a gun out of his pocket and handed it to her. "The OZ base is very   
dangerous, so you'll need a gun."  
  
Minako reluctantly took the gun from Duo. She had never used one before. "All right." she said  
a bit nervously, "I'll just have to warn you though, I've never used a gun before."  
  
"Don't worry," Duo said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "You   
probably   
won't need to use it. If you do, just point it at their head and   
say,   
"Don't move or I'll shoot" or something like that."  
  
Minako nodded again. "Okay." she said, "So what do we do now?"  
  
Duo smiled. "Now we are going to rescue Quatre. Well... technically we don't really do the  
rescuing... that's more Hiiro and Trowa's job. Wufei's on guard duty, making sure we aren't  
found. And we, my fair lady, get to hack through all the codes on the building," He smiled at  
Minako, "And don't think that's not much. That's the MOST important part of this mission. So...  
be VERY careful and listen to me."  
  
"Oh, great.." Minako mumbled, wishing that she had paid more attention in computer class.  
  
"Don't worry," Duo said confidently, "You won't screw up, 'cause if you do, we're all dead."  
  
"OHHH!!" Minako shouted, "Well in that case, I KNOW that I'll do it right.." she said  
sarcastically.  
  
"Great!" Duo said, happily, "I knew I could inspire some confidence. Now, let's get started. You  
get on the computer to the left. Follow my orders EXACTLY. One mistake and Shinigami goes  
home... and I'm NOT homesick yet, thank you very much."  
  
"All right, fine." Minako said, "Let's just hope that YOU don't screw up."  
  
Duo laughed. "Me? Screw up? I'm a professional! I never mess   
up!"   
He hacked into the OZ database. "Voila!" A picture of Dorothy from the   
wizard of Oz came up. "Well... maybe never was a BIT too farfetched."  
  
[Meanwhile]  
  
Wufei watched his screen intently. So far the little red dots were   
far   
away from the few green ones. This was a good sign.   
"Bweep bweep." The gundam bweeped.   
Wufei looked around for the cause of this. The screen flashed red   
before   
going black. Immediately, Wufei got on the communicator.  
"Duo!" He yelled. All he heard was a staticy noise. "KUSO!" He   
swore   
pounding his fists on the keys.   
His only choice was to leave the gundam and warn Duo. Slowly he   
opened   
the hatch and climbed out... before being intercepted by OZ soldiers   
surrounding his gundam...  
  
(Meanwhile)  
  
"Do you understand?" A deep voice ask.  
"Yes, sir!" A cheerful voice replied.  
"Destroy the gundams."  
"Of course, sir!"   
  
(Meanwhile)  
  
Minako's fingers tapped at the keys faster than she had ever dreamed possible, doing it with  
amazing accuracy. She was determined to help Quatre, nomatter what it took.  
  
The computer beeped and the image on the screen changed. "Uh, Duo? I think I've got  
something." Minako said, "Only I don't know what it it."  
  
Duo's eyes widened. "Dear God... Minako we're going into battle.   
Be   
careful." Duo watched the screen with fear. The chances were   
completely   
against him. And there were only 3 green dots left.  
  
"What are we going to do then?" Minako asked nervously.  
  
Duo smiled sadly. "I'm going to try to fight them... I don't know   
what   
you can do... I'm sorry Minako..." He looked at the screen. 'This is   
suicide...' he thought.  
  
Minako noticed the look of hopelessness on Duo's face. She knew what he was thinking. "I'm  
going to help you." she said, "After all, that's what I'm here for, isn't it?"  
  
Duo smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek. "You're a good   
friend,"   
he said kindly, "The only thing that I can think for you to do would be   
to   
hack in to OZ security and use the cameras to find the positions of   
Wufei,   
Trowa, and Hiiro... and of course Quatre."  
  
Minako nodded. "Okay. What should I do when I find them?"  
  
"I just need you to tell me where they are once you find the   
location.   
After that you could try to commence communications." Duo explained.   
"Oh...   
and thank you Mina-chan."  
  
Minako hugged Duo. "Thanks.." she whispered, "Good luck."  
  
Duo smiled at Minako before grabbing the controls. "Hold on   
tight!" he   
yelled to her as he shot off bullets to where he knew the OZ soldiers   
were   
hiding. Bullets flew back from all directions.   
In an instant, Duo had drawn his scythe and was slashing a group of   
Taurus'/tauruses (what's the plural?). The battle aura soaked in and   
Duo got   
battle-happy. "SHINIGAMI IS BACK FROM HELL!" He laughed evilly...   
before   
the next onslaught of bullets came.  
They hit the gundam like cold water, throwing it across the   
room...okay   
so maybe NOT like cold water EXACTLY.   
Duo flew out of his seat and into the wall, hitting his head with a   
sickening *thud*. "Ouchies..." he murmered before loosing   
consciousness.  
  
"Duo!!" Minako shouted. "Please, Duo!" she cried, shaking him, "Please wake up!" Nothing.   
She couldn't believe that this was happening.   
  
*CRASH* Something hit the gundam hard. She looked and saw five mobile suits heading  
straight for her, so she did the only thing that she could do.   
  
"THAT'S IT!" she screamed, placing her hands on the controls, "NOW I'm PISSED!" She  
located a lever and decided to pull it to see what it would do.   
  
A familiar figure made its way through the mobile suit horde. It   
moved   
with experience and confidence. It's pilot smiled sadly when it   
reached the   
gundam. "I'm sorry." he said, before firing off a round of bullets.  
  
Minako quickly pulled the lever to the side, sending the gundam spinning around. "How the  
heck do you fly this thing?!?!" she screamed to no one in particular.  
  
The pilot watched the gundam's troubles. Its pilot seemed a   
complete   
novice, confusing him slightly. Feeling it dishonorable to attack an   
opponent without first giving a chance for surrender, he turned on the   
communications to the gundam. "Please surrender, I can only give you   
one   
chance to."  
  
Minako froze. She knew that voice. Was it...? No! It couldn't be! "Quatre?!" she asked  
nervously.  
  
The pilot held his head as a huge pain struck through it.   
'Quatre... I   
remember that...' "Quatre?" The pilot replied.  
  
Minako's eyes widened. "It IS you!" she cried, happy  
that he was alive, yet sad because he had joined their  
side. "What are you doing? I was so worried! Are  
you okay?" her questions went on and on.  
  
The pilot stared ahead blankly. "I'm...Quatre?..... I'm sorry...   
but do   
I know you?"  
  
Minako's eyes filed with tears. How could he not remember? "Quatre!" she cried, "It's me!   
Minako! Please! You have to remember!"   
  
"Minako... I remember the name... I remember the love I felt   
towards the   
name... I still have the love... but I don't know Minako... That's   
what I   
must remember..." The pilot snapped out of his flashbackish daze.   
"Are you   
going to surrender?"  
  
Crystalline tears poured down Minako's cheeks. "He...He doesn't remember me..." she thought  
aloud. She suddenly got an idea. There was only one way for her to save Quatre. He obviously  
wouldn't come willingly. She would have to go with him, to convince him. "Fine.." she said,  
wondering if it was the right decision, "I surrender."  
  
"Thank you." The pilot said, cheering up. Killing just wasn't his   
thing.   
He typed in the code for enemy surrender. "Please evacuate the   
gundam." he   
asked kindly.  
  
Minako sighed in defeat. She stood up as the front of the gundam opened up, allowing her to  
step out onto the platform. She looked around at the numerous guns pointed at her. Placing her  
hands in the air, she prayed that they wouldn't find the unconscious pilot inside. "Gomen,  
Duo..." she said quietly.  
  
The pilot stared at the girl. She seemed so familiar. And yet, he   
was   
sure he had never met her before. Slowly, he opened the hatch, and   
stepped   
out of his gundam. A pure feeling of love filled his body, and   
instinct took   
over. He ran up to the girl and embraced her. "Aishiteru..."  
  
Minako gasped in surprise, but returned the hug, burrying her face in his shoulder. "Quatre!" she  
shouted, tears falling from her eyes, "Aishiteru, too."  
  
Quatre smiled at his love. The memories poured back as he held   
her.   
"Gomen... Gomen nasai Minako-chan."  
The soldiers aimed for the couple.  
Quatre kissed her forehead. "Gomen nasai."  
  
Minako brought her lips up to his and kissed him back. She closed he eyes and braced herself  
for the gunfire. But it never came. A moment later, she opened her eyes and found herself in a  
whole new place. Looking around, she realized that it was familiar. A huge smile spread across  
her lips. "Quatre!!" she shouted, "I'm HOME!!!"   
  
Quatre looked around at his surroundings. It all looked so old.   
Everything seemed to be from before the colonies were built. A long   
time   
before. He held Minako's hand tightly. "Where are we?" he asked.  
  
"We're in Azabu Juuban. It's in Minato-ku in Tokyo." she beamed, "This is my home. Back in  
the year A.D. 2001."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Like it?? Let us know! Review!!! 


	9. Chapter Eight

Notes:  
  
We're back!!! Mwahahahaha!!! Remember, send reviews to PV via fanfiction.net and to Kattie at Kattie41@aol.com. ^^v  
  
Disclaimer: *Yaten is standing in front of PV and Kattie who are tied up and gagged on the floor* They don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing. *smirk*  
  
Kattie & PV: MMMRRMMPPHH!!!!!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Quatre stared at her with mixed horror and fascination. "A.D?   
This   
is... 2000 years ago... I   
don't... understand... how did this happen?" he asked, squeezing his   
fists to   
keep calm.  
  
Minako placed a hand on his shoulder and gazed at him lovingly. "It'll be all right, Quatre." she  
soothed, "We'll figure out what to do. At least," she took his hand into hers, "At least we'll be  
together."  
  
Quatre smiled at her. "It doesn't matter where I am or when I am   
as long   
as you're by my side." He took her hand in his and kissed her softly.  
  
  
Minako closed her eyes and fell into the kiss. She was so glad that Quatre was with her. She  
heard a click, then a surprised gasp.  
  
"MINAKO AINO!!!!" a voice shouted, "WHAT IN KAMI-SAMA'S NAME ARE YOU  
DOING?!?!?!"  
  
Minako turned around and laughed nervously. "Uh...hehe...Hi, Daddy." she said, smiling  
sweetly.  
  
Quatre immediately bowed in an appropriate fashion. "It is an   
honor to   
meet you, sir. Please forgive my rudeness."  
  
Mr. Aino blinked, but then went back to his screaming. "I don't buy that!!!! Minako!! Your  
mother and I have been worried sick these last few days, and now you show up with some guy  
off the street?!?!"  
  
"But, Daddy!" Minako pleaded, trying to explain.  
  
"NO BUTS ABOUT IT!! YOU!" he pointed to Minako, "You're grounded for the next 500  
years! And YOU!!" he pointed to Quatre, "OUT OF MY HOUSE!!! STAY AWAY FROM MY  
DAUGHTER OR I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY  
AGAIN!!!!!"  
  
"Daddy! No! Listen to me!" Minako shouted, but her father just turned his head.  
  
"It's alright, Minako," Quatre said, calmly, "I can go somewhere   
else   
while you explain to them... it would probably be easier..."   
  
"I'm going with you!" Minako shouted, following Quatre.   
  
"You're not going ANYWHERE, young lady!" her father shouted back.  
  
"I'm going now, Daddy! Bai!!" she yelled, running out the door, slamming it behind her. Muffled  
screams could be heard from inside, but her father never emerged. Minako smiled thinking  
about how she locked the door before she left.  
  
"Sorry about that..." she apologized.  
  
Quatre smiled. "It's alright. It's nice to see that your father   
cares   
for you so much."  
  
Minako frowned. "Heh..the only thing he cares about is making sure that I don't come home  
pregnant one day. That's all. He doesn't care about anything else. He probably couldn't even tell  
you when my birthday is! Even though it's been 17 years.." she said sadly.  
  
Quatre gently kissed her. "Don't be sad Mina-chan. He loves you.   
Just   
from a distance. A lot like my father does. Otherwise he wouldn't be   
so   
scared that you were gone..."  
  
  
"Yeah..I guess you're right.." Minako said quietly, resting her head against Quatre as he wrapped  
his arm around her.  
  
down the street  
  
"USAGI!!! Come on!" an angry Rei yelled.  
  
"Yeah! Come on!! We don't have all day!" Makoto shouted.  
  
"I'm..*pant* coming!!!" Usagi yelled, trying her hardest to keep up with the group.  
  
"We can't waste any time, Usagi-chan! Minako has been missing for two days now and no one  
knows where she is! We have to find her, and fast!" came the wise voice of Ami.  
  
"Fine..I'm coming..I'm coming.."I'm." Usagi gasped, "There she is!!!" she shouted, "And she's  
with a HUNK!!!"  
  
"What?!?! Where?!?!" Makoto shouted, seeing the couple holding eachother. "Wow! Who is  
HE??"  
  
Rei groaned. "Well let's go talk to her and find out, shall we?!?! Minako!!" she shouted, waving  
her hand.  
  
Minako turned around to see her friends just a bit down the street. "MINNA!!" she shouted,  
running towards them. "Oh! I missed you guys SOOO much!!!"  
  
"Where were you?!" Rei asked.  
  
"Yeah! And who's THIS?!" Makoto asked, dreamily.   
  
Minako gripped Quatre's arm protectively. "This," she said with a smile, "Is Quatre."  
  
Quatre smiled sweetly at Minako's friends. He bowed respectfully.   
"It's   
a pleasure to meet you." He said.  
  
"Quatre, I'd like you to meet my friends! Usagi, Ami, Rei and Makoto."  
  
"Hiya!"  
  
"Hello!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Nice to meet you.."  
  
Minako smiled and moved closer to Quatre, giving him the hint that they had to establish right  
away that they were a couple.  
  
Quatre held Minako's hand tightly. He stared at the buildings in   
awe.   
"Everything's so... old..." he said, quietly.   
  
Minako smiled. "That's because everything in your world is new!" she joked.  
  
  
Quatre stared at the girls', wondering if they were the senshi that   
Minako had mentioned. He smiled at Usagi. "Minako has spoken of you.   
It's   
nice to finally meet you."  
  
Usagi smiled back. "It's nice to meet you too!"  
  
"Hey!" Makoto said, "We want to hear all about what happened? We're still trying to figure out  
where this guy is from in the first place!"  
  
"Why don't we all go out and talk over ice cream...I'm starving!" Usagi bounced.  
  
Minako smiled. "That sounds great! I could REALLY go for some right now!"  
  
Quatre bit his lip as he felt something. In the back of his mind   
he   
could feel his friends'. They seemed very distant, but they were still   
there. Something was wrong. He smiled to cover up his fear, but   
continued   
biting his lip. The pilot stopped when he tasted blood in his mouth.   
"Ice   
cream sounds great." He said sweetly.  
  
"YAY!!" Usagi shouted, immediately taking off down the street. The other girls followed, but  
Minako and Quatre stayed back for a moment. Minako gasped when she noticed a trace of red  
in Quatre's mouth.  
  
"Quatre!" she said, running her finger across his lip, wiping away some of the blood. "What  
happened to your lip?"  
  
Quatre took her finger into his hand. "It's nothing." He kissed her finger gently. "I must have  
cut it or something… We'd better hurry, they seem eager for ice cream."   
  
Minako gave him a concerned look. "Are you sure?" she asked, "You didn't bump yourself or  
anything, did you?"  
  
She watched him turn his head away slightly and she placed her hand on his shoulder. "What's  
wrong, Quatre?" she asked calmly.  
  
Hesitantly, Quatre looked back at her. He smiled, trying to hide his concern, but knew his eyes  
would show all. "I'm sorry, Minako. I don't want to ruin this for you… You finally got back…  
but something's wrong. I'm worried about the others. And there's nothing I can do to help them."   
  
Minako wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry, Quatre.." she said quietly,"I know how you  
feel. I'll help you get through this, just as you helped me. And as for ruining this, you're not  
ruining anything. As long as you're here, I'm happy."  
  
A tear slipped down Quatre's face. How could one person be so wonderful? "Aishiteru,  
Minako-chan." He brought his lips to hers. "Arigato, my love."   
  
"HEY!!!" came an angry voice from down the street. "Let's go!!! I'm hungry!!!"  
  
Minako winced. "We'll continue later, ne?"  
  
Quatre grinned. "Ice cream first." He took her hand and followed the other girls.  
  
a few minutes later  
  
"Well, here we are!" Minako exclaimed as they entered the shop. They all walked over to a  
booth and sat down.   
  
"YAY!!!" Usagi shouted, "Ice cream!!!!!"  
  
Quatre looked at his wallet. "I don't suppose they'd accept futuristic money?"  
  
"Of course not!" Minako replied cheerily, "But that doesn't matter, 'cuz I'm paying anyway."   
  
Quatre grinned slyly. "I'll have to make this up to you." He kissed her gently on the cheek.  
  
Minako blushed. "No!" Minako shouted, "It's the least I could do after all that you've done for  
me!"  
  
"Thank you." He said quietly, stroking her hair. "Aishiteru."  
  
"WILL YOU TWO STOP GETTING ALL LOVEY-DOVEY AND GET SOME ICE CREAM  
ALREADY?!?!" came Usagi's angry shout.  
  
Minako sighed. "Aaawww....but it's so much fun!" she whined.  
  
"Well don't let your fun get in the way of my ice cream!!"  
  
Minako giggled. "Guess we'd better get going, huh?"  
  
Quatre smiled. "If we don't, your friends might break our eardrums."  
  
later on  
  
"Minako, are you sure you don't want to stay with me?" Makoto asked, concerned.  
  
Minako nodded. "It'll be fine. Quatre and I will find somewhere to stay. Besides, I can't leave  
him alone. He's new, y'know." she said with a wink.  
  
"Yeah...I'm sure that's the reason..." Makoto mumbled...  
  
"ETCCHI!!" Minako shouted, shoving the giggling Makoto into her apartment. Minako sighed  
once the door shut. "Finally..."  
  
"Your friends are very nice," Quatre noted, "that must be why you get along so well." He kissed  
her hand. "Where were we?"  
  
"I think we were here.." Minako smiled, pressing her lips to his.   
  
Quatre felt pure happiness at that moment. Everything was right and nothing could ruin the  
moment. Neither floods nor fires or comets. Love was stronger than any disaster. However,  
love cannot overpower friendship… He fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. "Hiiro…" he  
whispered.  
  
"Quatre!" Minako cried as she knelt down next to him. "You need some rest! Let's get  
somewhere to stay for the night!"  
  
She gently helped him off the ground and put his arm over her shoulder. "Just hang on to me.   
There's a motel near by. We'll stay there tonight." she said, kissing him on the cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry," Quatre replied, "I'm just worried about my friends" He   
took   
her hand. "Yes, I probably just need sleep." He said optimistically.   
  
a few minutes later  
  
Minako and Quatre waited patiently at the front desk of the Juuban Motel. "May I help you?" a  
man asked.  
  
"Yes," Minako replied, "We'd like a room with two beds."  
  
"I'm sorry," the man replied, "But we don't have any available tonight."  
  
"You're kidding, right?" The man shook his head.  
  
Minako didn't know what to do. The closest motel was eight miles away! She finally sighed in  
defeat, "Okay, fine. We'll take a room."  
  
Quatre blushed slightly. "I'll sleep on the floor." He suggested.  
  
"No!!" Minako shouted as she took the key from the desk clerk, "Of course you won't! You're  
the one who's ill! I'll sleep on the floor, and you'll take the bed. And listen here, there's  
absolutely NO WAY that you can change my mind! I would feel just aweful!"  
  
Quatre stared at her, wide-eyed and surprised. "But you're PAYING for it! You should get the  
bed! Besides, the ground can't make anyone sicker. Unless the heat was really low…"  
  
"Fine!" Minako shouted, "We'll BOTH sleep on the bed!"  
  
"Uh.." the clerk said, "I'm not sure how old you two are, so I'll just be leaving...enjoy your stay!"  
  
Minako sighed. "Let's go.."  
  
Quatre turned beat red. He could feel his face burning and his eyes widened. "Uh… Pardon  
me?"  
  
"Like I said," Minako stated, "There's no way that you're going to sleep on that floor, so either I  
sleep on the floor, or we both sleep on the bed. You decide." She paused a moment.   
"Besides...I trust you."  
  
"O…Okay… I can't let you sleep on the floor…so… so I guess it would be okay?" Quatre tried  
to hide his burgundy face but it was useless. Sweat trickled down his back as he got more and  
more worried. 'This isn't right… not gentlemanly… but I CAN'T let her sleep on the floor. And  
she WON'T let me sleep on the floor…' he thought. He sighed with defeat. 'It's inevitable…'  
  
Minako took Quatre's hand. "It's all right, Quatre. We're not going to do anything." She smiled  
at him, "Besides, I can think of no one in the world I would rather be in this situation with than  
you."  
  
Quatre smiled. "O-okay… I'm sorry…"  
  
Minako wrapped her arms around the blonde boy. "You look tired.." she said, "Let's go to our  
room." They walked down the hall and located room number 143. When Minako unlocked the  
door, she turned on the light. The room was just like any other motel room. It had a bathroom, a  
table with three chairs and a bed.  
  
"Here we are."  
  
"It looks comfy anyway…" Quatre said optimistically.  
  
Minako frowned. "You seem upset. Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine." Quatre said, with a smile. 'Hiiro…' Hiiro's presence has almost vanished. He could  
barely feel anything. It was like there was a hole in his soul. Something wasn't there. And it  
was terrifying.  
  
Minako saw the pain in Quatre's eyes. Her heart went out to him. She wished that there was  
something that she could do for him. "Quatre.." she said, "You can tell me anything, you  
know..."   
  
She placed her finger under his chin and brought his face gently up to meet hers, "I love you,  
Quatre, and it hurts me to see you in such pain. Don't tell me that you're not hurting, because  
you are. I can see it, I can feel it."  
  
Quatre looked away. "I'm sorry. It's just… I can't feel Hiiro's presence. I can't feel what he is.   
It's like he's dead… but I can still feel his soul is alive… I don't know what's happening…"  
  
Minako hugged Quatre tight. "I'm so sorry, Quatre.." she whispered, "I wish that there was  
something I could do, but I'm afraid that I'm just as helpless as you are." A single tear fell from  
her eye. It hurt her so much that he was in so much pain.  
  
"Don't worry, Mina-chan," Quatre brushed her tear away, "As long as he's still alive. I'm sure it's  
nothing big. I'm probably just loosing my empathic abilities."  
  
Minako rested her head on Quatre's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Quatre. I know that I can't do  
anything to help your situation. I guess the only thing I can do is be here for you. I wish that I  
could do more."  
  
"Just being here is enough. Don't worry about me. I'm just being weak. I'll try to be stronger for  
you." Quatre kissed her hair.   
  
"You're not weak, Quatre..." Minako whispered, looking up at his eyes. They were full of pain  
and fear, but also love and innocence. "You're strong. Stronger than I could ever be. Don't ever  
let yourself think otherwise."  
  
"No, Minako," Quatre replied, "You are much stronger than I am. You're will is the strongest as  
well as your heart . I wish I were more like you."  
  
Minako let out a soft giggle. "Looks like we'll never agree on this, will we?"  
  
"I guess not," Quatre grinned, "But I'll always know that I was right."  
  
"Why you!!!" Minako laughed as she wrapper her arms tightly around him. "I love you...have I  
ever told you that?" she smiled.  
  
"Maybe once or twice," Quatre smiled as he kissed her gently, "Aishiteru."  
  
Minako smiled again. "And I love you.." she said, finishing with a yawn.  
  
"I think you should sleep now," he stated, "otherwise you might get cranky." He smiled sweetly.   
"Only kidding ^^" - {Kattie: visual aid!!!!!}  
  
"Hey!" Minako slapped him playfully, "That wasn't nice!"  
  
"Sorry," Quatre replied, "I think the ice cream made me hyper." {Kattie: hyper Quatre O.o uh  
oh}   
  
"Kami-sama help us!" Minako joked. She giggled for another moment, then yawned again. "Oh  
boy!" she said, "I MUST be tired!" She reached her arms behind her and struggled with the bow.   
"Argh! Stupid thing is in a knot!"  
  
"Don't force it." Quatre explained. "It might pull out some of your beautiful hair." He gently  
pulled on side of the bow and then the other working it to freedom. Finally it came out. Quatre  
handed it to her. "I guess it just got a little tight." He smiled sweetly.  
  
Minako smiled. "What would I do without you?"  
  
"Lose hair pulling the bow out?" Quatre suggested, giving her a kiss on the forehead.  
  
Minako giggled and wrapped her arms around him. "Yeah, and maybe die of lonliness. I love  
you so much, Quatre." she said, giving him a light kiss.  
  
"I love you too." He replied, stroking her hair. "Because you are my soul. All of my love grows  
stronger because of you. And without you, I'd be a soulless body. Wandering with no love and  
no hope for a future. Aishiteru."  
  
"You're too good to be true, Quatre. Are you really for real?" Minako asked dreamily as she  
snuggled into him, struggling to keep her eyelids open.  
  
"You should sleep now." He said, yawning himself. "Otherwise you'll be tired in the morning."   
He kissed her cheek. "Oyasuminasai (Kattie: thanks PV-chan for finding that out ^^)."  
  
"Oyasuminasai.." she whispered, falling asleep in Quatre's arms.  
  
Quatre held her in his arms tightly, as if she would disappear if he let go. "Aishiteru…eien…"   
Slowly the sandman came and soon Quatre was fast asleep, with Minako still in his arms.(PV:  
Isn't that just SOOO darn cute?? *squeals*)  
  
in the meantime  
The clerk finally finished cleaning up, and signed out of his shift. He was on his way out the  
door when a realization hit him. He ran to the phone as fast as he could.  
  
~*~*~*~  
Minako's father paced back and forth around the living room of the Aino home. It was midnight  
already and Minako hadn't returned.  
  
*ring* Mr. Aino ran as fast as he could to the phone. "Hello?!"  
  
"Toru(PV: her Dad's name)!" the clerk said on the other end. "A couple of kids checked into my  
motel tonight...one of them looks alot like your daughter!"  
  
Mr. Aino gasped. "She did WHAT?!?! That's it! I'm going over there RIGHT now!!!"  
  
"Sorry, Toru," the clerk apologized, "But only registered guests are allowed at this hour. And  
only in their own rooms. I wish I could do something to help you..."  
  
"What room are they in?"  
  
"143..but..."  
  
"I'll be there first thing in the morning!!" he shouted, then slammed the phone down.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Quatre woke up with a start. Sweat trickled down his back from the nightmare he'd just had. He  
kissed Minako on the cheek. 'Just a nightmare…' he told himself. But still something didn't feel  
right. "Minako." He said softly, shaking her gently to wake her up.  
  
Minako slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by the site of her angel. She smiled, but then  
noticed the distress in his expression. "What's wrong, sweetie?"   
  
"I don't know." He replied. "I think we need to get out of here…"  
  
Minako frowned, she was still tired, but Quatre was the one with the empathic abilities. "All  
right," she said, sitting up, "Let's go."  
  
Quatre took her hand and dashed out of the room.  
  
Minako followed Quatre, who was running much faster than she was. 'What's he so afraid of?'  
she wondered.  
  
"HEY!!" she heard someone shout, "GET BACK HERE!!! MINAKO!!!"  
  
Minako turned around to see her father chasing them down the hall. "Damn..." she muttered,  
"RUN!" she shouted, running faster now.  
  
Quatre ran with all the energy he could manage. "Uh Minako… He won't actually HURT us…  
will he? He looks pretty angry…"  
  
Minako didn't want to think about what would happen to Quatre if they were caught. He would  
have been better off in the OZ base..."Just keep running!!" she shouted.  
  
Quatre got a sweatdrop. "Maybe I should talk to him… or… if we needed to… I could carry you  
down a drain pipe?… Minako… you're dad is scary…"  
  
"You don't have to tell me that!" They ran and ran until they reached the end of the hall. All that  
there was was a door to a balcony. They were trapped. "Crap.."  
  
Minako suddenly got an idea. It was crazy, but they didn't have any other options. "Out here!"  
she shouted, opening the door to the balcony. When they reached the edge, she turned to Quatre.   
"Hold on to me! We're going to jump!"  
  
"NE? Jump? That seems a little suicidal… Maybe it would be better to face your father? He  
can't be THAT bad…can he?"  
  
"Well, not if you consider having your arms and legs permanently twisted in unnatural ways  
bad.."  
  
Quatre looked at her horrified. "Okay then… Jumping sounds good…"  
  
Minako stepped all the way up to the edge as Quatre wrapped his arms around her. "Okay now,"  
she said, "I've never done this with two people before, so it'll most likely hurt. But just think of it  
this way, it'll hurt ALOT less than my father will. Ready?"  
  
"Sure… you've jumped out of a window before? I think you're dad needs to take some anger  
management classes. It's not good to be vio-." Quatre looked down. "Be careful…"  
  
"I will.." Minako said, masking her own nervousness. "Here we goooooo!!!" she shouted as they  
jumped off the balcony and landed hard on the pavement. "Ouch!" The weight was a bit too  
much. Minako's ankle gave out, and they both fell to the ground. 'Oh gods..' she thought, 'I hope  
I'll be able to run now..'  
  
Seeing Minako's pain, Quatre scooped her up and continued running. "I'll fix your ankle when  
we've got away from your dad." He kissed her forehead. "Arigato, koishii."   
  
Minako smiled. "Arigato..."  
  
Minako's dad ran and ran, then he finally made it to the balcony. "What the hell?!?! Where's he  
taking her?!?!"  
  
"How'd she get down?" the clerk asked., confused.  
  
"I need a phone! I'm calling the police!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Is there a place we can stay?" Quatre asked. "I don't know where we should go…"  
  
"Let's try going to Rei's temple for now. He'll eventually figure it out, but it'll buy us some time.   
It's all the way down this road....a long ways."  
  
"Alright," Quatre replied, "What's it called?"   
  
"The Hikawa Ginga. It's about a mile down on the left."  
  
Quatre ran as fast as he could, searching for a temple. He finally saw one with a sign that read  
"Hikawa Ginga" (Kattie: well I HOOPE it does… otherwise Rei's temple has a LITTLE  
competition). He raced up and knocked on the door.  
  
Rei's grandfather walked up to the door, humming his own happy little tune. He opened the door  
and looked at the couple standing outside. "Can I help you two love-birds?"  
  
"Please…" Quatre said, panting from all of the running. "Do you have some bandages? She's  
hurt."  
  
"Of course! Let me go get the price list..."  
  
"GRAMPA!!!!" and angry Rei shouted at the top of her lungs. "What do you think you're  
doing?!?!?! We don't CHARGE for those kinds of things!!!"  
  
"Fine, fine..but don't come crying to ME when we don't have enough money to pay your tuition!"  
  
Rei moaned in annoyance, when she noticed who was at the door. "MINA! Quatre! Are you  
two all right?"  
  
Quatre panted with exhaustion. He could barely breathe. Only two words could be said through  
the deep breaths. "Her...dad..." Quatre brushed Minako's hair. He looked up at Rei with hoping  
eyes.  
  
"Oh crap..." Rei said, "He's doing it again?"  
  
Minako nodded.  
  
"Get in then! Hurry! Grampa! Close up the temple! Quick!"  
  
"But it's only still morning!!" he protested.  
  
"NOW!" Rei barked, sending her grandfather walking to the front, mumbling.  
  
"Thank you." Quatre said, quietly. "I'm sorry to involve you in this. It is very kind of you to help  
us."  
  
"Yeah, thanks Rei-chan" Minako smiled.  
  
"It's no problem...really..." Rei explained.  
  
Quatre held Minako's hand. "Are you okay?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah," she smiled again, "I'll be fine. Arigato, darling."  
  
He kissed her forehead gently. "Gomen… Gomen nasai… I'm so sorry…" Tears welled up in  
his deep blue eyes. Quatre kissed her hand and smiled sadly, raising to his feet. "I can't let you  
get hurt again," he said, "I'm going to try and talk to your father."  
  
Minako's face turned white. "No!" she protested, "You can't!!"  
  
The tears in his eyes slid down his cheeks. "Gomen nasai… but I love you too much to let you  
get hurt again. You're a much better person than I am and if one of us needs to get hurt then it'd  
better to be me… Suki yo…"  
  
"No! Don't worry! I can handle myself! Besides...whatever her does to me doesn't take long to  
heal.." Minako stopped realizing that she has said too much, "I mean.....It's fine. Just don't talk to  
him."  
  
Quatre's heart stopped. He looked her in the eyes. "He's hurt you before?"  
  
"Well.. not too badly..I mean....not really.. I mean..."  
  
"Wait a minute!" Rei interrupted, "So that's what all those bruises were! Minako! You didn't get  
those from a fight! Why didn't you tell us?!"  
  
"Listen," Minako sighed, "It's no huge deal. I'm used to this. I've learned to live with it."  
  
Quatre stared at her and realized he was sobbing. "Minako…" He wrapped her in his arms.   
"He's not going to hurt you anymore. Never again." He smiled at her through his tears. "Even if  
it kills me."  
  
"No...." Minako protested, "Please...don't get involved, Quatre. If my father ever hurt you, I  
would never forgive myself."  
  
Quatre bowed his head. "Gomen nasai…" He ran from the temple.  
  
"NOOO!!!" Minako screamed as tears poured from her eyes. Her body was shaking with  
fear...fear of what could happen to Quatre, "Quatre!!! Come back!!" She sobbed.  
  
With anger fueling his tired body, Quatre ran to the hotel. Running with so much anger he could  
hardly stand. "Damnit," he cried, "Why did you hurt her!"  
  
Minako's father's eyes narrowed at the boy. His blood boiled at his defiance. "She deserved it."  
he stated, slowly starting to walk up to Quatre.  
  
Quatre was shaking with anger. "She deserves only happiness and love. Things you obviously  
cannot give her. God save your soul, for Satan obviously has stolen it. Hurting another person is  
the single more evil thing you can do. But you hurt someone who loved you. Such evil cannot  
be put into words. You are a demon. And if you touch Minako again, I WILL kill you."  
  
"Don't try my patience, boy." Mr. Aino threatened, "You've all ready gone far enough. Minako is  
no concern of yours."  
  
"I think," Quatre raged, "she is no longer a concern of yours."  
  
"Just get out of here before I hurt you!!" he shouted, stepping closer still.  
  
"Can't hurt me anymore than you already have," he spat, "my soul is aching."  
  
Mr. Aino laughed. "Soul...whatever. You're just some punk kid who wants to get my daughter  
for one night. You don't care about her, all you care about is taking advantage of her."  
  
Quatre's eyes widened. "Sir, I have 29 sisters. I don't think so."  
  
Mr. Aino smirked. "So it runs in the family, eh?"  
  
The rage in Quatre's heart raised to the peak. It overflowed into a flash of rage. "You hurt your  
own daughter. And you insult my sisters. Minako is a million times the person you are. She is  
kind and will live to be a loving mother. But you sir," Quatre drew his gun and pointed it at the  
man's forehead, "You will never see her as a mother. Never again. If you come near Minako I  
will kill you. Slowly and painfully. And sir, I will not regret it."  
  
Minako's father just rolled his eyes. "You're just a boy..." he spat, "You'd never kill me. Even if  
you would, you couldn't, so if you'll excuse me, I think I'll head on over to the Hikawa Ginga.....I  
assume that's where Minako is.....that's the only place she would have gone to in the direction  
you came from." He began to walk away, "And because of your actions, I'm afraid that I'm going  
to have to punish her even more than usual. Good day."  
  
With an unusual anger, from the time traveling, or maybe from Oz,   
Quatre put   
his gun back into his pocket and tackled Mr. Aino. "Like hell I'll   
let you   
touch her!"  
  
Mr. Aino cried out in rage as he felt a fist come into contact with his chest. That was it, his  
patience was gone. He let out another cry as his fist met with Quatre's face.  
  
"NOOO!!!" they both heard a girl scream. Mr. Aino looked over to see Minako, supported by  
Rei trying to run over to them, despite her limp.  
  
"Get out of here, Mina-chan!" Quatre cried. "You'll get hurt!"  
  
"NO!" Minako shouted defiantly, "I won't let him hurt you!"  
  
"It's too late for that!" Mr. Aino shouted, punching Quatre again.  
  
"NOO!!" Minako broke away from Rei and knelt down next to Quatre. "REI! GO GET HELP!!"  
  
Rei nodded and ran off, saying a prayer for her friends.  
  
"You little bitch.." Mr. Aino slapped Minako hard across the face, leaving a red mark where his  
hand hit.  
  
"Don't touch Minako!" Quatre yelled, kicking Mr. Aino in the face.   
He   
turned to Minako. "Are you okay?" he asked, touching her face lightly.  
  
Minako looked up and nodded, forcing a smile. "Yes..I'll be fine...but what about you?" she  
wondered aloud, brushing her own hand against the bruise on his face.  
  
Quatre held back a wince. Pain soured through his head. But still, he   
held   
a smile. "It's nothing." He watched Mr. Aino stand, and his smile   
fell. His   
arm outstretched as he blocked Mr. Aino from his daughter. "Please,   
if   
you're angry just hurt me! leave Minako alone."  
  
"Both of you are going to get it! I've had enough of you two!" Mr. Aino shouted as he pulled a  
gun out of his pocket and pointed it at Quatre.  
  
"NO!!" Minako shouted, jumping at her father , twisting his arm around just as the gun shot out.   
Mr. Aino stared at Minako, wordless.   
  
"I really did love you, you know." he whispered before collapsing to the floor, a pool of blood  
collecting underneath him.  
  
Minako stared in shock at what was before her. Her father was dead...killed...and the worst part  
was that she did it. It was her fault. If she hadn't twisted his arm around, he wouldn't have died.   
She never wanted that.  
  
"Daddy..." she managed before falling onto her father's body, sobbing. "Daddy...I'm sorry....I  
didn't know what to do!"  
  
Quatre stared at the body in shock. "Minako…" Her pain and fear flew through his body. So  
many emotions slipped around through his mind and soul. And there was no more Hiiro. No  
more Duo, Wufei, or Trowa… They were gone. All he could feel was Minako's confusion. His  
fear mixed with hers spread through his mind leaving him numb.   
  
His body began shaking and his breathing quickened. "Minako… don't worry… everything will  
be okay…" Falling to the ground, he began hyperventilating. "Minako…"  
  
"Quatre!!" Minako cried as she ran to him and held him in her arms. "What's wrong?! Please,  
Quatre?! Are you okay??"  
  
"Mina-chan," Quatre brushed his hand against her face, "They're all gone… Hiiro…Trowa…  
Wufei… Duo… they're all gone… All I can feel is your pain… Gomen… It's just  
overwhelming…" He closed his eyes and forced them open again. "So hard to stay awake…"   
His eyes closed and he could see his mother. She was holding out a hand, beckoning him…  
  
Notes:  
  
PV: Haha! Don't you just love cliffhangers? *smile*  
Kattie: *nods*  
Yaten: *now tied up on the floor* Grrr.... 


	10. Chapter Nine

Notes: Hey people! Sorry for the lack of spell-check..... I don't have time to do it before I leave.... so.... enjoy!!  
  
  
  
"Quatre...QUATRE!!!" Minako screamed as she shook the blonde pilot's body, but she got no response. 'Not again..' she thought, 'I almost lost him once...I won't lose him this time...' She closed her eyes and felt her body falling. After a few moments, she opened her eyes back up and found herself in a foggy void.   
  
"Hello??" She called out, "Is there anyone here??"  
  
"Minako.." a soft voice called, "Minako listen to me..."  
  
"Who are you?" Minako asked, "Where are you?"  
  
A beautiful winged angel formed in front of Minako. She had long, golden hair that fell to her knees, and shining, cornflower blue eyes. On her back was a set of transparent white wings. She wore a long, cream colored dress that came all the way down to her ankles.  
  
"Who are you?" Minako asked in amazement.   
  
The woman smiled warmly, not surprised that Minako didn't remember who she was. "I'm you're mother, Mina-chan. Aphrodite. I'm here to help you."  
  
Minako gasped. Her mother? Here to help her? "How can you help me?" she asked, confused.  
  
"Quatre is dying, Mina-darling, and you're the only one who can save him." her mother informed her.  
  
"How?"  
  
"When OZ captured him, they altered his memories for a short while and convinced him that he was one of them. The emotional trauma that he just experienced threw him back into that state, only more extreme, and dangerous to himself."  
  
"But..what can I do?" Minako asked hopefully.  
  
"He's here somewhere...in this dream world. You must find him, and help him find himself." she said as she disappeared.  
  
"Wait! Mother!" Minako cried, "Come back! I don't know where to look!!"  
  
"Follow your heart..." Aphrodite's voice sounded, "You will find him...."  
  
Minako looked around at her surroundings. There was nothing but white. She did the only thing that she knew to. She started to walk.  
  
After what seemed like hours and hourse of walking., she finally came upon a blonde haired figure. Remembering her mother's words, she approached him carefully. "Quatre??" she managed.  
  
Slowly, Quatre turned looking through the sea of darkness. Voices,   
there   
were so many voices all around. Susurration throughout the air. But   
in it   
all, he could still hear Minako's faint voice, somewhere in this sea of   
illusions. "Minako?" It was so cold. His throat felt frozen with   
a sharp   
ice.  
  
"Minako. I think I'll go with my mother. She wants me to   
come" His voice   
echoed through the air. A weak, childish voice. He suddenly hated his   
voice.   
  
"I think that's where Hiiro and the others are They're gone maybe   
they   
went there?"  
  
"I'm tired, Mina-chan life's so hard."   
  
"I love you, Minako I really do"  
  
His voice echoed with what he thought, but he couldn't remember saying   
any of   
it. There was so much fear.  
  
"Quatre!" Minako tried to run to Quatre, but she was light as air, all she could do was float. "Please, Quatre! Don't go with her! Onegai! I know that life is hard, Quatre, but we can get through it...together!"  
  
"Together? Come with me 


	11. Chapter Ten

Labyrinth   
  
  
"So you want to go then?" He questioned, hopefully.  
  
"Hai!!" she shouted, almost jumping out of her wheelchair.  
  
"Minako! Be careful!" Quatre said, "If you get hurt again you can't go! And you have to  
stay in the wheelchair! Promise?"  
  
Minako pouted and crossed her arms. "Onegaaaaaiiiii????" She watched Quatre shake  
his head. "Fine..... I'll be good..."  
  
Quatre kissed her nose. "Koishiteru, Mina-chan." He smiled at her.   
"Hm.." He   
looked out at his Gundam, which was currently inside a rather large   
parking   
garage. "Iria said I could leave Sandrock here." The pilot explained.   
"So   
let's go hail a cab."   
  
Minako smiled. "All right." She motioned for him to lean closer to her and she kissed  
him on the cheek, watching him turn bright red. "You're so cute when you blush, you  
know that?"  
  
He blushed brighter. "Well… you're cute 24-7." He kissed her back.  
  
Minako giggled and leaned back, closing her eyes with a sigh. "I'm so lucky to have you,  
Quatre." she smiled.  
  
"No way," he winked, "I'm lucky to have you." He kissed her again. "We'd better get a  
cab. Or they'll all be gone." He grinned. "Do you want me to push you?"   
  
Minako smiled. "Sure."  
  
Slowly, he wheeled her to the line of taxis. One pulled right up beside them. "Would  
you be needing a ride, sir?" The man asked.  
  
"Yes, please." Quatre replied. He helped Minako into the front seat and the driver put  
her wheelchair, folded up (Kattie: wheelchairs are very high-tech these days… but why  
didn't she get automatic? The answer: not as romantic. Quatre couldn't push her in an  
automatic ^^), in the trunk.  
  
"Where will you two be going?" The driver asked.   
  
"To Venus." Minako answered.  
  
The driver smiled at her. "Sorry, I can only take you as far as the Space Port. Hope  
that'll work for you."  
  
Minako giggled. "Okay then."  
  
"I went to Venus once," the driver said, "That's where I met my wife. In old days Paris  
was the city of love. Now we have a whole planet. It shows how far we've come. A  
great place for young lovers." He winked at Quatre who blushed in return.  
  
Minako giggled again and blushed herself, not saying a word.  
  
"My wife… Marian… she was the prettiest girl at the party. Her hair in a bun… and that  
dress. I was a goner… Two days later we were married in a drive through wedding…   
She said it wasn't very romantic but what did she know. Drive-through's are very  
romantic."  
  
Quatre tried to figure out why this man was telling such a personal story to them. Just a  
little weird.  
  
"That's a sweet story, sir." Minako commented. "I personally wouldn't care where I get  
married. As long as I'm with my one true love."  
  
"That's what I told her. BUT NO! And she wanted kids. So we had kids. And then!   
After the divorce GUESS WHO GOT THEM! I only see them holidays… That little  
sneak! HOW DARE SHE! I'm never going to Venus again! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"  
  
"Um..uh..." Minako looked nervously back at Quatre.  
  
"That's horrible, sir… maybe you could tell a counselor about it?" He asked, shooting  
Minako a sad smile.  
  
The man fell silent. "Yeah… of course… so… how's your day been?"  
  
"Trust me.... you do not want to know..."  
  
"Fine then… Have fun on Venus." He turned the radio on and up.  
  
Minako shrugged, then leaned her head back to rest a bit on the ride. She was still a little  
weak, though she would never admit it.  
  
Quatre watched Minako from the back left seat. Love flowed from his heart.  
  
later  
  
Quatre helped Minako back into her wheelchair at the Space Port.   
"Good luck." The man said to Quatre with a wink.  
He blushed insanely and handed the man the cab fare.   
  
Minako smiled as the cab drove away. "Finally!" she laughed.  
  
Quatre grinned back at her. "He was just lonely. I can relate." He kissed her forehead.   
"We'd better get the tickets."  
  
"Yes! Let's go!"  
  
Quatre wheeled Minako over to the line. After a few minutes they had reached the front.  
"How may I help you, sir?" The cashier asked.  
"May I have two first-class tickets for the next shuttle to Venus please?"  
The cashier smiled and winked at Minako before saying, "That'll be $10,000."  
  
Minako's jaw dropped. "$10,000?!?!?!?!"  
  
Quatre put a hand on Minako's shoulder and handed the cashier exact change.   
"Thank you, and have a lovely trip." The cashier replied, handing him the tickets.  
"Thank you." Quatre said, wheeling Minako out of line.  
  
"Quatre.... but it... but you.....?"  
  
He looked at her with worried eyes. "Are you okay Minako?"  
  
"Ten-thousand dollars?! And you-" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "You carried that  
much cash around?!"  
  
"It's not a big deal, Mina-chan," Quatre explained, "I need to carry money around in case  
my Gundam needs repairs. Besides… no one thinks I have any money."  
  
"Yeah.... but....." she sighed and let her head fall down, "I'll just not think about it, I don't  
want another headache.."  
  
"I'm sorry Minako…." Quatre said, trying to comprehend what she meant, "But… I don't  
understand…"  
  
"Well, where I come from, that's ALOT of money... like, a quarter of my dad's yearly  
paycheck..." She dropped her eyes and tried not to think too much about her dad.  
  
"Um…well. I'm sorry…" Quatre replied, looking down at the ground.  
  
Minako forced a smile, determined not to ruin the day. "It's okay. Now let's go before  
we miss our shuttle."  
  
"Alright," Quatre said. He wheeled her over to the entrance for the shuttle. With a smile,  
he handed the attendant the tickets and went down the long hall, leading to the ship.   
  
"Wow!" Minako exclaimed, "This is amazing! MUCH different than the planes back  
home!"  
  
"Planes?" Quatre questioned. "As in AIRplanes?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
Quatre looked at her in awe. "That's amazing… We stopped using those hundreds of  
years ago. But they were quite impressive." He smiled.  
  
"Ah.." Nothing surprised Minako anymore.  
  
Slowly he wheeled her to their seats. A stewardess helped Minako into her chair.   
"We'll have this in the front. When we reach our destination I'll come back to help you."  
She explained to Minako.  
  
"Thanks" Minako said.  
  
Quatre kissed her hand. "Have you ever been on a shuttle before?"   
  
Minako shook her head. "No...."  
  
"You might want to sit back. It's going to be a little rough on the take off. The pilots for  
the Space Ports aren't very skilled." He explained. A smile covered his lips. "But you get  
free peanuts."  
  
Minako giggled and rested he head on Quatre's shoulder. "As long as I'm with you." she  
smiled.  
  
He kissed her hair gently. "I won't leave you."  
  
The shuttle took off, slamming them back against their seats. The pressure was great  
showing that the pilot was not.  
"It'll be over in a minute." Quatre explained.  
  
Minako nodded, closed her eyes and held on to Quatre. She really hated this feeling.  
  
After what seemed like hours, the shuttle leveled out and was smooth.   
"It's   
over now." Quatre explained, "Until the landing."  
  
Minako sighed in defeat. "Oh well," she said, grinning, "At least now   
I   
have en excuse to hold on to you."   
  
He kissed her head gently. "You don't need an excuse."  
  
Minako sighed and rested her head against Quatre's shoulder. "Thank   
you so   
much.... This trip to Venus really means a lot to me..."   
  
"I hope you have a good time," Quatre replied with a smile, "I love it   
when   
you smile." He blushed slightly.  
  
"You're so sweet.." Minako sighed, closing her eyes. "I want to keep   
you   
forever."   
  
"Then you will," he said, grinning brightly, "I'll even gift wrap   
myself and   
get a card."   
  
Minako giggled and hugged Quatre tighter. "Aishiteru, koibito..." she   
said   
with a yawn. (she's a bit sleepy....poor Mina-chan)  
  
Quatre smiled at her yawn. "Why don't you sleep? You don't want to be   
tired   
on Venus, do you?" Saying this, he realized how tired he was. His eyes   
started to close.  
  
"Oyasuminasai, my love.." Minako whispered.   
  
"Oyasuminasai, Mina-chan." Quatre managed to speak, before falling   
in to   
dream world.   
  
A couple hours later.....  
  
*bang* *boom* *bang* *screech*   
  
"AAHH!!" Minako shot straight up as the shuttle shook.   
  
Quatre took Minako's hand in his own. "It's okay Mina-chan. We're not   
crashing." He gave her a smile of encouragement. "The shuttle's   
landing."  
  
"Are.. are you sure? I mean...." Minako looked around, "Is this really   
supposed to happen?"   
  
He nodded sadly. "The better pilots were all taken to fight in the   
war. All   
that were left were amateurs and trainees."  
  
"Oh.." Minako said, dropping her gaze, "That's sad.."   
  
"They're still alive, some of them." Quatre looked away from Minako.   
"And I   
have to kill them." A lone tear slid down his cheek.  
  
"Gomen nasai..." Minako said as she leaned next to Quatre, "I didn't   
mean to   
bring up such a painful subject..."   
  
"It's alright," he replied, "I guess I should be used to it by now."  
  
Minako frowned. "But you shouldn't have to be used to it.." she wiped   
away   
his tear with her finger.   
  
He smiled slightly, but his eyes remained sad. "When this war's   
over, I'm   
not going to fight any more. Never again."  
  
Minako smiled sadly and placed hand on Quatre's shoulder. "Don't   
worry, once   
it's over, you'll never have to."  
  
Quatre smiled brightly at her. "Yeah, And I won't have to put you in   
danger.   
I'm sorry, Mina-chan. But I'll stay by your side to protect you." He   
kissed   
her again.  
  
"Quatre... listen. Don't put yourself in danger to protect me. I can   
take   
care of myself, remember?"  
  
"I'm sure you could. But I wouldn't risk something as important as   
your life   
to find out."  
  
Minako smiled and kissed him. "You'd at least better be careful   
though.... I   
couldn't live without you.."  
  
Quatre grinned back. "Well I couldn't live without you so it looks   
like   
we're going to have to stay alive, eh?"  
  
Minako giggled and gazed at Quatre lovingly. "Good plan."  
  
"I thought so. So where do you want to go on Venus? We can go   
anywhere you   
want. There's even an old palace. Very mysterious thought it was   
there when   
we first landed." Quatre went off thinking about this.  
  
Minako's eyes went wide. 'Magellan?' she thought to herself. "Let's   
go   
there!"  
  
Quatre nodded. "Alright. It should be within walking distance of the   
Space   
Port. I've heard it's quite beautiful." He grinned at her. "Though   
not   
nearly as beautiful as you."   
  
Minako blushed and kissed Quatre on the cheek. "You're too sweet!!"  
  
There was a loud bang as the reached the landing pad. Quatre took   
Minako's   
hand. "We'll be okay. But they're going to need to spend a lot of   
money for   
repairs."  
  
Minako smiled and nodded, but her mind remained on one thing.   
Magellan. Her   
home.  
  
  
As they left the ship, Quatre looked at the pilot. A complete   
amateur, he   
didn't even have the badge that symbolized completion of training.   
This was   
getting annoying. He took Minako's hand. "Are you alright? You're   
being   
kind of silent"  
  
"Gomen..." Minako said quietly, "It's just... strange... being back   
here.   
You see, I was born here... in the palace, Magellan. This was my   
home."  
  
"Really? On Venus? I didn't know that they had established   
colonization of   
Venus in your time? Or do you mean in your previous life?" Quatre was   
very   
interested.   
  
Minako dropped her gaze. "In my previous life.." she looked around at   
all   
the destruction and fought tears, "It was so beautiful here... until   
Beryl..."  
  
Quatre hugged her gently. "It's okay, Minako. You can cry if you   
want.   
There's no shame in crying." {not a word you anti-Quatre meanies}  
  
Minako shook her head and pulled away from Quatre, smiling   
pathetically, "I'm   
fine, really..."  
  
"Maybe you'll feel better once you see the palace? It's completely   
restored   
to its original condition." Quatre said, hopefully.  
  
Minako's smile widened. "Really?"  
  
"Let's go." He grinned back at her with lovingness in his eyes.   
  
Minako smiled as she followed Quatre.  
  
He had to admit, he'd be pretty upset if this had happened to his home.   
They   
had tried to keep some of the old houses together, but the damage was   
easily   
visible. 'It must be hard for Minako.' Quatre thought. "You can see   
the top   
of the palace to the left." He informed her, pointing at where you   
could   
barely make out the roofs very top.  
  
Minako looked over and smiled at the familiar sight. "It's so..   
different.."  
  
"They couldn't restore it completely to it's original form, they'd   
never seen   
it. But it looks like they did a good job. Do you think so?"  
  
Minako nodded sadly. "Yeah, but they forgot my favorite part..."  
  
"I'm sorry." Quatre said, looking at her with his sad eyes. "This   
must be   
very hard for you. If you don't want to see it-"  
  
Minako shook her head. "No, I want to see it.... it's just....   
strange..."  
  
"Alright," He replied, a little confused, "Maybe the inside will be the   
same."  
  
Minako looked down. "Yeah, maybe.." she said sadly.  
  
'Minako,' Quatre thought, 'What can I do to make you happy again?' "I'm positive that it  
will be perfect inside." He said, with optimism dripping from his voice.   
  
Minako smiled at his attempts. Even though the words didn't help much, it made her feel  
better to know that Quatre cared for her.  
  
As they reached the palace, Quatre began to see how incredibly large it was. It made him  
feel somewhat insignificant in its presence. "You lived…HERE?"  
  
Minako nodded. "I grew up here. When I was 13, I was sent to the Moon to train as a  
senshi."  
  
Quatre looked at the ground. Had he already told her what had become of the moon? He  
wasn't sure but would attempt to stay away from that topic. She probably would be…  
less than thrilled, to put it lightly, to know that it had become a tourist attraction with  
only large buildings and miners. He knew nothing of a castle or any ruins there.   
  
"That must've been hard." He said.  
  
"Well," she started, "It was.... but I had grown up knowing that one day I would leave my  
family to go fulfill my... duty...."  
  
Quatre kissed her gently. "You don't have to talk about it if it's painful…"  
  
"No.." Minako said looking up at her koi, "It's all right. Besides, if I'm going to be in love  
with you, it's good for you to know about my past. Perhaps someday, you'll know it all.."  
  
"Well…" He looked at her beautiful face. "If you want to know my past…"  
  
"It's all right Quatre. Don't tell me to be even. You tell me when you feel ready."  
  
Quatre smiled. "My past is pretty boring anyway… except for maybe the Gundam  
part…"  
  
Minako giggled. "Somehow, you don't strike me as the boring type..."  
  
"Well… I mean… There were a FEW times my sisters used me as their dolls…" He  
blushed. "Apparently I make a very pretty girl…"  
  
Minako laughed this time. "Did they tease you much? I mean..... the youngest of  
twenty-nine sisters and the only boy! I'm an only child, but I hear horror stories from  
Usagi who has one brother."  
  
"Yes," Quatre grinned, "All 29 of them teamed up against me. I can't   
beat them all."  
  
"I bet that they're nice to you now that you have a huge robot!" Minako joked.  
  
"Um... they don't really talk about that much because my father   
disapproves," He grinned at her, "It's kind of a serious topic. But they   
haven't dressed me up in a while." Quatre winked at her.  
  
  
Minako smiled. "Well that's good." she sighed and leaned her head back, wishing that  
she could stand and lean her head on his shoulder. But she had to be content with  
reaching her hand back to rest on his.  
  
After what seemed like years they finally reached the palace. A man   
was   
selling audio tours on a booth to the right of the entrance while   
multiple   
people walked in. Quatre was looking WAY up to see the whole palace.   
"Was   
this always so big?" He asked. {Kattie: Now think about how big his house is   
and   
then understand this big}  
  
Minako looked up and examined the palace for a moment. If she had let herself, she  
would start crying all over again, but she was determined not to ruin this day. "Well," she  
said as she squinted her eyes, partly to focus on the top, partly to squeeze the tears back,  
"It's pretty close, but they're missing a couple wings." She looked back to Quatre, "But so  
much of it was destroyed in the war that there would be no way possible for them to get it  
totally accurate."  
  
Quatre sighed. He knew Minako, she would try to act cheerful and hold   
all of   
her pain inside until she exploded into a million pieces of hurt.   
"Mina-chan..." He said quietly. Slowly, he led her in.  
  
  
Minako's looked around silently as they walked inside. She tried her hardest not to break  
down and sob right there. Maybe coming here wasn't such a great idea. She was  
suddenly getting homesick. "It's..... different...." she whispered, turning her head so that  
Quatre wouldn't see the tears falling from her eyes. She had to stay strong. She had to  
stop crying.  
  
Quatre gently kissed her cheek. "We can leave if you want to... There   
are other things to see here... If you want to..."  
  
  
Minako shook her head and wiped away her tears, hoping that Quatre hadn't noticed.   
"No, no... it's all right." she said turning around, "I want to see this. I have to."  
  
Quatre took her hand into his own. "Just tell me if you want to leave,   
ok?"  
  
Minako smiled and nodded. "Arigato, koibito."  
  
Quatre smiled at her. "Don't be sad, Mina-chan. I know it's hard...   
at least there's still some of it right?" He said, trying the optimistic   
approach to the situation.  
  
Minako couldn't sit there any longer. He was so good to her and she just had to hold him.   
"Aishiteru, Quatre!" she shouted, jumping out of her wheel chair and embracing him  
tightly.  
  
Quatre was startled but soon regained his composure and hugged her   
back.   
"You promised to stay in your wheelchair remember?" He picked her up.   
"I'll   
just pretend this didn't happen, well, the leaping out of your   
wheelchair   
part, I wouldn't WANT to forget the rest." He winked.  
  
Minako crossed her arms and pouted. "But I HATE sitting in this thing! I can't hug you!"  
  
"Then I'll have to hug you," Quatre replied.  
  
Minako smiled. "What would I do without you, Quatre?"  
  
Quatre grinned back. "Aishiteru."  
  
"You didn't answer my question!" Minako teased playfully.  
  
"Hmm… maybe… be out of your wheelchair?" He suggested.  
  
Minako giggled. "Silly! Yeah, but I'd also be a grumpy hag with no happiness." she  
grinned.  
  
"That's not true," Quatre insisted, "You would still have your friends. They seemed like  
very nice people." He smiled.  
  
"Yeah," Minako agreed, "But I could never imagine life without you."  
  
"Me neither… without you I mean…" He blushed slightly.  
  
Minako laughed softly and smiled at Quatre. "Aishiteru, koibito."  
  
"Minako… Even if I can't imagine it… I know what life would be like… Minako…" He  
looked away, "Before I met you… I was… I always acted happy… like it didn't matter  
that I had to kill people… but Minako… it isn't okay… and…" He went silent and looked  
back to her. "Don't leave me Minako. Just promise me alright?"  
  
Minako looked up at her koibito, tears forming in her own eyes. "I'll never leave you  
Quatre.." she said softly, "I'll die first."  
  
Quatre took her into his arms. "I love you Minako… Koishiteru… More than anything…  
More than life… I'll do anything you want… Anything… you know that right? I love you  
so much." He kissed her with all of his love flowing from his heart. "I love you." He  
kissed her again.  
  
Minako shut her eyes and wrapped her arms around Quatre's neck, deepening the kiss.   
She still couldn't believe how someone could be so pure, so full of love... for her. She  
felt as if the curse had been lifted. She had been saved by her knight in shining armor.   
Nothing could be wrong with the world now, nothing.  
  
A tear slid down Quatre's face. Although they were together now,   
destiny   
would surely part them. They were from different times and the balance   
of   
the universe would be thrown out of place. And so, Quatre held Minako,   
and   
swore never to let go.  
  
Minako felt the hot tears falling onto her and she looked at Quatre, a concerned look in  
her eyes. "Koibito?"  
  
"It's nothing." Quatre replied, wiping his tears away. "I just..   
I'm sorry.   
I won't ruin your day with my selfish problems."  
  
  
Minako frowned, "Quatre... you know that you can tell me anything. Besides, nothing  
could ruin this day as long as you're here with me."  
  
  
  
  
"Mina-chan... How long can this really last? Whatever force sent you   
here... it could send you back. It would separate us. Most likely it   
will... I don't think I could live with that. It was hard enough   
before. Having no happiness. But it would be so much harder having known   
happiness to have it taken away. I don't think I could survive Minako.   
I'd just... fade away... like our time together... I'd fade away with   
the memories. And disappear..." Quatre was holding in his tears with   
all of his strength, but he was growing weak.  
  
  
  
Tears formed in Minako's eyes as she realized that all that Quatre said was true. She was  
so distracted that she never considered the fact that she would have to go back. "Kuso!"  
she shouted upward. "You did it again, didn't you Danburite?!" She ignored the  
confused look on Quatre's face and continued on, "Why can't you leave me the hell  
alone?! Why why why?!?!" she pounded her fists on her lap then stopped, her body  
wracking with sobs. "Gomen nasai, Quatre....."  
  
Quatre took Minako into his arms. "Even if we are physically separated   
our souls will eternally be together. I love you." He kissed her   
gently. "Since.. since you're leaving.. and we don't know how long we will   
be together..." he turned bright red. "will..uh...will you maybe...marry   
me?"  
  
At first, Minako thought she heard wrong. She blinked, then studied Quatre's face. It  
was full of sincerity and love. She smiled brightly, all sadness forgotten and she wrapped  
her arms around him and brought her nose so that it was touching the tip of his. "Quatre  
Reberba Winner, nothing in the world, yours or mine would make me happier than to be  
your wife."  
  
Quatre forgot all sadness and felt complete ecstasy at her words. "You... you will?   
Really?" He stared at her, wondering if maybe he misheard her.  
  
Minako nodded her head and whispered, "Yes, koibito. My koibito. I will marry you,  
and you will make my life complete."  
  
Quatre took her into his arms once again. "I love you Minako! I love you, konyakusha! I  
promise to make you happy! Aishiteru!" The only thing Quatre could think was  
happiness. "OOOH! You want to go get a ring? You can choose. Any ring you want!"   
He couldn't help but get excited.   
  
Minako giggled at his excitedness. "Whatever you want Quatre. As long as I'm with  
you."  
  
Quatre looked around at the castle. "Do you want to look around more?"  
  
Minako nodded, still smiling. "But do I still have to stay in the wheelchair?"  
  
"Yes," Quatre said. "Unless you want me to carry you again?"  
  
Minako giggled. "I would have you carry me, but your arms will get tired...." she sighed,  
"Fine.... I'll stay in the wheelchair.... but that doesn't mean that I'll like it!" she pretended  
to pout.  
  
"You look really cute when you pout," Quatre said, "I'll give you a kiss if you smile."  
  
Minako giggled at Quatre's boldness. He was much less shy than before.  
  
Quatre kissed her gently. "You stay that way." He smiled. "Let's promise to be happy  
from now on. Alright?"  
  
Minako nodded and smiles up at Quatre. "Aishiteru, iinazuke." she said lovingly.  
  
"Do you promise?" He asked, ignoring her cuteness. "I need an answer, koishii."  
  
Minako sighed. "All right.... as long as you promise to do the same."  
  
"I promise. I'll try my hardest to be happy. It won't be hard with you here." He kissed her  
again. "Aishiteru."  
  
Minako smiled and placed her fingers gently on Quatre's. "Ready?"  
  
Quatre nodded. "As long as you are, my love."  
  
Minako nodded, apprehension finally catching up to her blissful mood, but she wouldn't  
let it overcome her. She wanted this. She wanted to see her past, her home. She  
watched silently as Quatre wheeled her through the palace. She had noticed many things  
out of place, but that was to be expected. While the differences did cast a shadow on her  
happiness, she was still content, knowing that Quatre was with her.  
  
As hard as Quatre tried, he couldn't concentrate on the beautiful   
palace.   
Verses of "I'm getting married in the morning," floated through his   
head   
{from Pygmalion- fyi}. He could only think of Minako. And that they   
were   
getting married.  
  
  
Minako sighed, not at the beauty of the palace, but at the happiness that comsumed her  
heart. Never in her life had she ever imagined feeling so happy. She thought about what  
it would be like. Wearing that beautiful dress, Quatre at the end of the aisle, beautiful  
flowers, Quatre at the end of the aisle, people dancing, laughing, singing, and Quatre by  
her side. All she could think about was Quatre... her fiancé.... soon to be her husband.   
And she would be a wife. Quatre's wife. She giggled, thinking of all the wonderful  
things.  
  
Quatre smiled at Minako. "You look so beautiful when you smile."  
  
Minako smiled up at Quatre. "Oh Quatre, I can't wait! I'm so excited!"  
  
Quatre kissed her hand. "It will be the greatest honor my life has ever known."  
  
"When will we be married?" she asked exitedly.  
  
"Whenever you want." Quatre said. "But I hope soon. Maybe after we're done with our  
business here."   
  
Minako smiled. "It couldn't be too soon."  
  
"Wait," A thought struck Quatre's mind, "Wouldn't you want your friends to come?...  
maybe... there's some way? I'm sorry I don't know much about your powers..." He  
instantly felt at having brought up her friends. "I'm sorry... if you'd rather not talk about  
it..."  
  
Minako thought for a moment, memories and dreams whizzing through her head, but she  
finally made her decision. "I... I have no way to communicate with my friends.... who  
knows how long it'll be until I see them again... but by then, it may be too late." She  
looked up at Quatre and smiled slightly, "Quatre. Right now, I don't care who's there to  
see it, I want this, and as long as I have you by my side, I will be content."  
  
"That," Quatre said, "Is why I love you. You're so caring. And you always try to be  
optimistic. You're wonderful Mina-chan. I love you."  
  
Minako sighed dreamily. "And I love you too."  
  
"If it would make you feel better... It could just be us. And a priest or judge or whomever  
to do the ceremony. Whatever you want Minako. You can do whatever you want." He  
was looking at her eyes, falling into their pureness.  
  
"No, Quatre. Invite your friends and your family. It would make me happy to know that  
you're not alone."  
  
"Minako," Quatre smiled at her, "After we are married you'll have 29 sisters. You can  
see how Usagi feels."  
  
Minako giggled. "I'll just keep reminding myself that you're more than worth it."   
  
Quatre couldn't help laughing, it felt good to laugh. Then he got serious. "But you have  
to remember their names. Otherwise they'll get mad. And they get REALLY mad if you  
mix them up."  
  
Minako put on a fake frown. "Oh great..... Looks like I'm doomed."  
  
"Of course not," Quatre waved his hand as if to dismiss it, "We'll have you memorizing  
them in no time."  
  
Minako giggled. "You have that much faith in me?!" she laughed, "I can't even  
remember your friends' names!"  
  
Quatre smiled at her. "Maybe you should memorize their names   
first, they   
might shoot you if you forget." He could picture Hiiro getting called   
Jiro or   
something. 'Omae o korosu!' Hiiro shouted. Quatre got a big   
sweatdrop.   
"Actually, just remember Hiiro's the one who would kill you if you   
forgot his   
name." He smiled. "Or at least he'd say he would, he still hasn't   
killed   
Miss Relena."  
  
Minako raised an eyebrow. "Who's Relena?"  
  
Quatre smiled. "Relena is Hiiro's girlfriend." He explained. "Only he   
won't   
admit it. She's a very nice person. She's the leader of the   
Peacecraft   
Nation. One of the few pacifist nations."   
  
"Oh!" she giggled, "So Hiiro has a girlfriend, ne? I never would have imagined it!"  
  
They're pretty opposite of one another. But it kind of makes sense,"   
Quatre   
continued, "Hiiro can't stand people who are like him. He has to be   
dominating." He grinned. "But Relena can make him act differently.   
You   
should see them together. It just seems right."  
  
Minako smiled. "Almost as right as us?"  
  
"Almost," Quatre grinned, "But not quite."  
  
"Quatre Reberba Winner!" she scolded. Looking up at his confused face, she continued  
on, "If you don't come down and kiss me right this instant you'll be in more trouble than  
you could possibly imagine! You'd be better off as a captive with OZ!"  
  
"Yes, Minako-sama," Quatre did a quick solute before leaning down and   
kissing   
her. "I wouldn't want to see you mad." He joked.  
  
  
Minako smiled up at Quatre and sighed happily. "Aishiteru, koibito."  
  
Quatre held her hand tightly. "Is there anything else you want to see   
here?"   
he asked, anxious to leave.  
  
  
Minako shook her head. "My mind is in focused on one thing right now, Quatre. Let's  
go."  
  
"Alright," Quatre said, pushing her wheelchair out of the palace. "Do   
you   
want to go shopping for your ring now?" he asked. It was at that   
moment a   
thought occurred to him. He dug in his shirt and pulled out a long   
chain.   
At the end of the chain was a ring. "Unless, you'd want my mother's   
ring   
instead? It's kind of old fashioned. I'm sorry if asking offends   
you.  
  
Minako's eyes filled with tears as Quatre gently placed the ring in her hand. She studied  
the ring in awe. It was gold, with a huge diamond which was surrounded by small  
sapphires. She smiled up at Quatre. "This is the most beautiful ring that I've ever seen!"  
she paused, then handed it back to him, "But it's too special to you Quatre. I could never  
take this away from you."  
  
"No," Quatre shook his head, "Something this special could never   
compare to   
how special you are." He smiled at her. "But I hope it's good   
enough."  
  
Minako smiled up at Quatre. "It's better than I could possibly imagine. I'll cherish this  
forever, koibito."  
  
Quatre grinned back. "Minako," He kissed her, "That's why I love you!   
You're so wonderful!"   
  
  
Minako kissed Quatre back and smiled again. "Nope. YOU'RE wonderful."  
  
"Not nearly as wonderful as you." Quatre blushed. "We sound like newlyweds already."   
  
"Well, if we stand here all year, we'll NEVER be newlyweds, now will we?" she giggled.  
  
"Well… do you want to be married here?" He asked.  
  
Minako gasped. "We could do that?"  
  
"Of course," Quatre said, kissing her on the cheek, "Anything you want. Anything that's  
within my power. Only for you." He smiled at her.  
  
"Oh.... Quatre....." she wrapped her arms around him, "Aishiteru!"  
  
"Aishiteru," Quatre replied, "Eiei…"  
  
3 weeks later  
  
Minako sighed dreamily as she let herself fall back onto her bed. It was only two weeks  
until the wedding and she was on cloud nine. She thought back about how she dreamed  
of being a bride, and how her groom couldn't be more perfect. She briefly thought about  
her friends and how she longed for them to be there with her, but she brushed the thought  
away and forced herself to smile. This was going to be the happiest day of her life, and  
as long as she had Quatre, nothing could be better.  
  
  
Quatre sat in his study staring at the envelope. It was a red   
envelope.   
Red... It was a notice that someone had died. He stared at it trying   
to   
figure out who had died and how he hadn't noticed. As he thought about   
it,   
he realized something was missing, but he had been so much into his   
wedding   
plans that he hadn't payed attention.  
He began to lose focus on the object and drift into his thoughts.  
  
Minako held her ringed finger up in front of her as she gazed happily at the treasure. She  
still couldn't believe how Quatre could give away something so special to him....  
  
A sudden shock ripped through her body and she sat straight up. Something was wrong,  
but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Quatre.... she had to see Quatre. She left her  
room and made her way to his study, then gently knocked on the door.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Quatre sat sobbing in his room. He didn't need to read the letter. He could feel who was  
gone. And now, the tears just wouldn't stop flowing. "Father..." He whispered.  
  
outside  
  
"Quatre?" she knocked again, "Quatre, are you all right?"  
  
Inside  
  
Quatre tried desperately to stop crying. He didn't want her to see him sad, especially  
since he had promised to be happy. "I'm…fine." His voice cracked on the last word. The  
red envelope sat in his lap, unopened, sealing the fate of his father, and how he had died.  
  
Minako frowned. "No, Quatre.... you're not all right.... can I come in?"  
  
"Just a second." Quickly, he brushed away his tears and forced a smile. "Um… you can  
come in now…"  
  
Minako stepped in slowly and looked over to where he was standing. His eyes wet with  
tears and his cheeks covered in red streaks. She looked at him, puzzled until she saw the  
envelope in his hand. The red envelope. "....Quatre..."  
  
"Yes, Minako?" Quatre asked, with a look of extreme happiness that was too happy to be  
real, plastered on his face. But his eyes were full of tears. "Is there something you would  
like?"  
  
Minako walked up next to Quatre and brushed her fingers across his cheek. "Quatre....  
please talk to me....."  
  
"I'm fine… really I'm fine." His smile cracked into a frown as the tears began to fall. The  
sobs began to echo from his throat once again. "I'm fine. Just fine…"  
  
Minako wrapped her arms around Quatre and soon found herself crying as well, even  
though she didn't know what had happened. She could feel his hurt, his pain, and she had  
to be there for him.  
  
"I'm sorry… I promised that I'd be happy… but…but… he's dead, Minako! He's gone  
forever! Just like my mom…" He could barely speak through his sobs.  
  
"Who?" she asked calmly, holding Quatre tighter.  
  
"M-my dad! He's dead just like mom! And… he died hating me!" He squeezed the  
envelope in his hand.  
  
"Shh...shh.." Minako soothed. She looked Quatre in the eyes with a serious expression.   
"Quatre.. he didn't hate you."  
  
"But he did! All because I had to be a stupid gundam pilot! Because I couldn't end the  
war by not fighting… And he hated me for it!" Pain filled his heart as well as his eyes.   
The memories seemed to drown him.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Dad… I have to pilot the Gundam. I need to fight for peace." Quatre told his father.  
  
"Then be a coward and pilot it! You'll only be adding fuel to the fire of war!" His father  
retorted.  
  
"Why can't you understand? The colonies don't have any army! They need someone to  
protect them! If we all just sat here than OZ would take over and we'd all be under their  
control!"  
  
"It would be better than being a murderer."  
  
Quatre stared at him for a few minutes, his eyes pleading for him to show a sign that it  
was okay, but there was nothing, only a hard glare. "Good bye, father." He whispered,  
leaving the room.  
  
End flashback  
  
"All I wanted was for him to accept me… but he wouldn't… and now he never will!"   
  
Minako's expression softened. "Quatre.... nomatter what you think, your father DID love  
you....... He told me so himself..."  
  
Quatre looked up at Minako with tear-filled and hope-filled eyes. "Really?" uh oh it's  
the wounded puppy dog look from Quatre. No one can resist  
  
Minako nodded and smiled sadly. "Yes..... before we left, he wanted to talk to me  
privately. He wanted to explain to me that the reason that he didn't want you to be a  
gundam pilot was because he was worried about you. He cared for you and didn't want to  
see you get hurt."  
  
"He did?" Quatre questioned. Tears began sweeping down his cheeks again. He looked  
to the ground. "Kamisama… I loved him so much, Minako… He… I looked up to him…   
I always wanted to be like him…" Looking at the letter, Quatre sighed. "Mina-chan  
would you … read it to me…onegai?"  
  
Minako gently took the letter into her hands. "If you're sure..." She carefully opened the  
letter and examined it. She held back her tears as she began to read.  
  
"To the Family of Robert Winner:  
  
We regret to inform you that Robert Winner, businessman and father, became a casualty  
to the war on 6/2 in the year After Colony 195. Your loved one died courageously  
fighting for what he believed in, and will always be remembered on Colony 04.   
  
As the OZ forces attacked our colony, they demanded the ownership of satellites, which  
Mr. Winner rightfully owned. Defying the enemy, Mr. Winner refused to acknowledge  
them. In response, OZ demolished the satellite that he was currently staying residence at.  
  
Included in this documentation is his will. We hope this letter may be of some comfort  
to you. Thank you for your time.  
  
Regretfully,  
  
Colony 04"  
  
She handed the letter back to Quatre gently. "He was a brave man, Quatre, and he only  
wanted the best for you."  
  
Quatre bit hit lip to hold in the sobs. Harder and harder as it grew harder to hold them in.   
Soon he could taste his own blood… and then the sobs were released. "Damn OZ! Why  
do they have to do that? They've done enough! Now they're attacking civilians!   
Why?…"  
  
Minako held Quatre close, letting her own tears fall. "I'm sorry Quatre.. I don't know..."  
  
The sadness built into rage within Quatre's heart. "I'll kill them," he whispered, "I'll kill  
them all… those bloodthirsty barbarians… all of them…"  
  
Minako pulled back slightly, a bit frightened by his words. "Quatre..... that won't help  
anything. You of all people. You've always said that fighting was wrong. Revenge is  
not the answer. Besides.... why should you stoop to their level?" her eyes softened and  
she took Quatre's hand into hers, "Quatre... what they did was horrible, but..... the only  
way to get through this is to forgive."  
  
"Forgive the people that made me fight in the first place!" Quatre glared across the room.  
"No… Not when I can show them what they've taught me. They made me this way, and  
they will suffer for it. And for all of their bad deeds." Quatre smiled.  
  
"No! Quatre... please..... this isn't you!"  
  
"Minako," Quatre embraced her gently, "I'm sorry," he pulled away, "but this is me. I  
have to grow up, Minako. Hiiro did… Everyone else has figured it all out… I tried so  
hard to be kind to everyone…   
  
But you know what Minako? They walked all over me because of it. I guess kindness  
must also be a childish thing… I need to grow up. And OZ will pay for all they have  
done…"  
  
Minako hung her head low. "Then you are no better than them..." she said sadly, tears  
falling from her eyes.  
  
The words stung Quatre at the depths of his heart. "I'm sorry Minako… I'm sorry…"   
His vision began to blur. "I'm so sorry…" And then he fell.  
  
"Quatre!" she knelt down beside him, "Quatre, are you all right?"  
  
"I'm sorry…" Quatre repeated, looking up at her, "You shouldn't have to see this… when  
people… when people die… I kind of lose control of my thoughts… As if killing OZ  
would bring them back…" He looked at the letter. "I don't want to fight…" and then back  
at Minako. "But I will… for the colonies."  
  
Minako shook her head and placed both her hands on Quatre's shoulders. "No, Quatre..  
please.."  
  
"Minako," his expression changed to a solemn look, "I can't be selfish anymore. I won't  
be a child as I said. Even if I don't want to fight I have to. Otherwise the colonies will  
loose this war." He brushed her cheek with his hand, "Relena-san's father was king of the  
Sanc Kingdom, a pacifist nation. Was, Minako. Pacifist nations never last long… but  
she is now queen, and her kingdom will live, because I, for one, am going to protect it.   
That's how the world works, koishii. You have to fight to protect…"  
  
"Quatre..... if you are to protect the Sanc Kingdom, then do so by defending them, not  
setting out to attack them. Please Quatre.... it hurts me to see you this way." she said, her  
voice cracking on the last words.  
  
As Quatre saw her eyes, his expression softened. "Minako, try to   
understand," He kissed her cheek, "Sometimes you have to attack first,   
you   
can't just defend something, it'll get you nowhere. That would be   
giving   
them the advantage of choosing where to fight and giving them plenty of   
time   
to analyze the situation. Plus it would ruin the countryside of the   
kingdom.   
Wouldn't it be better if we had the advantage? If their land got   
ruined?"  
  
Minako closed her eyes as soft sobs escaped her lips. 'What can I do..?' she her mind  
screamed, 'He'll get himself killed this way....' Then she finally made a decision of what  
to do. Her mind wrestled until she finally decided that there was no other way. Clasping  
her hands together, she grasped the ring that encircled her finger, and slid it off gently.   
"I'm sorry Quatre,..... but you're not who you used to be. The one that I know and love...  
and..." her voice cracked, but she pressed on, "until he comes back... I..." she placed the  
ring into his hand and squeezed it closed, "I can't marry you." That said, she turned and  
ran out of the room, sobbing. 


	12. Chapter Eleven

Authors' Notes: Okie, people. I'm SO sorry that it took me SO lonbg to post this. This is the last and FINAL chapter of Labyrinth, but never fear, Kattie and I are already working on a sequel! So, if we get lots of reviews, we'll post it! ^^v Enjoy!!!  
  
  
  
  
Quatre stared at his hand, at the ring. Minako's last words echoed in his mind. 'I can't marry you… I can't marry you…marry you….' He fingered the ring around, examining it. "Minako… gomen nasai… I love you so much, " He whispered to the empty room, "And I can't let you meet my father's fate… Even if it means loosing your love…"  
  
Minako ran and ran until she finally found herself lost inside Quatre's huge house, but she didn't care. She stopped and leaned her back against the wall. "Quatre..." she choked out as she sank to the floor, wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face in her sleeves. "Gomen nasai..."  
  
Minako's sadness buried itself within the layers of Quatre's own sadness. It was too much. "Minako… I'm so sorry… I didn't want to hurt you… but if I don't OZ will. And they would kill you…" He dropped to his knees. "Don't be sad… please, my love…" Far too much grief for one person to handle. "Minako!" He screamed as his heart seemed to rip into a thousand pieces.  
  
Minako's head shot straight up as she felt the pain of a thousand deaths rip through her body. She didn't hear Quatre's scream, but she knew that he was in pain. She stood up, unsure of what to do. She finally decided to find him... to try and talk to him. Now all she had to do was find her way…  
  
Everything was blur of sadness and pain. The only thing's in the mixture of colors that he could understand. "Minako," He screamed again, knocking over a table as he attempted to stand. "I'm sorry!" An image came into view. Was it a window? 'No more pain.' He thought, crawling to the window. 'One more and then nothing.'   
  
Minako ran and ran until she finally found her way back to Quatre's study. "Quatre! I'm sorry! I-" she paused after she burst through the door then noticed Quatre by the window. "Quatre?! What are you doing?"  
  
Blurs… only mixed colors of gray. And a voice… Quatre looked back. A new color. "Is someone there? If you are… please kill me…"  
  
Minako gasped in shock. "Quatre?!? NO! What's going on?!"  
  
"Minako… I shouldn't have lied to her," he whispered, looking back at the window, "I shouldn't have done that… even to save her… shouldn't hurt her… I'm sorry…" And back at the color. "Please kill me."  
  
"Quatre!" she shouted as she ran over to Quatre and embraced him, "It's me! Minako!"  
  
"Minako…" The sadness increased. "I didn't want her to die… so I lied… dad died… mom died… everyone seems so die because of me… Minako would have died too… and now… I should die."  
  
Minako's eyes widened at his words. "NO, Quatre! You shouldn't die! It's not your fault! Quatre... I'M Minako!! Please... listen! I'M Minako!"  
  
The window seemed too far away. He smiled back at the color. "You shouldn't have to see this." He took his gun out of his pocket. "Good people shouldn't see bad things…"  
  
"QUATRE! NO!!" Minako screamed as she grabbed desperately for his gun, trying to get it out of his hands.  
  
A bullet fired.  
  
Quatre came back to the regular world with the shot. Instinctively he reached for his gun but was surprised to see he already was holding it. HE had fired the bullet. And it shattered the window. "What happened?" He asked, trying to understand what he had done while in the state of depression.  
  
Minako stared at Quatre in shock, then threw her arms around him. "Don't EVER scare me like that again!!"  
  
"Minako?" He looked at her in surprise, "I thought you were mad at me… no wait… you're SUPPOSED to be mad at me! I said all the wrong things!" Confusion washed over him. "It was a perfect plan… how did it fail?… hm…"  
  
Minako blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about, Quatre?"  
  
Quatre stopped talking to himself and smiled sadly at Minako. "I don't want you getting hurt. So… I knew if I said all those things that you would get mad at me and then maybe… leave… so you wouldn't get hurt… like my fathe-" Quatre stopped in the middle of the word, the sadness overcoming him again. "Like my father." He finished.  
  
"Quatre... please don't feel like you have to protect me... I'll be fine... all I need is you..."  
  
"Minako," he looked at the ground, "I'm sorry… I don't want you to die Minako… It was hard enough to go through my mother's death… knowing I killed her…"  
  
"No, Quatre! You didn't kill her!"  
  
"But I did Minako. They all told me I didn't… It couldn't be helped… but she did die because of me."  
  
"Quatre..... listen to me. You didn't kill her. It was a horrible accident. I can promise you that right now, she's smiling down on you from heaven, beaming with pride at what a wonderful son she has."  
  
Quatre looked at Minako and smiled. "Most likely beaming at what a wonderful daughter she has…"   
  
Minako smiled. "Welcome back, koibito..."  
  
Slowly, Quatre opened his hand to see the ring. He took Minako's hand and gently slipped it back onto her ring finger. "Will you forgive me, koishii?"  
  
Minako's smile widened. "Of course.."  
  
"I love you Mina-chan… today and forever." He kissed her, with love flowing from within his battered heart.  
  
Minako wrapped her arms around Quatre, deepening the kiss as tears of joy fell from her eyes.   
"I love you..."  
  
******* At the Wedding******  
  
Minako smiled as she looked around at all the people. There must have been hundreds! She didn't even know that Quatre knew that many people....  
  
She glanced down at herself in her beautiful wedding dress. She had always dreamed of this day.... and now, it was finally here.  
  
Quatre was beaming. This had to be the happiest day of his life. He kept repeating the words "I do" over and over again in his head. "I do…" he whispered.   
  
Minako paced back and forth, her hands shaking with nervousness. "What if something goes  
wrong?" she shook her head, "NO! Everything will be just perfect.... and WHERE ARE  
THOSE DAMN FLOWERS?!"  
  
There was a knock at the door and Minako rushed to open it. Sure enough, it was the florist  
delivery guy. "THANKS!" she said, grabbing the box and slamming the door. She was too  
nervous to be rational.  
  
She paused and took a deep breath, then opened the lid on the box. There was her bouquet, as  
gorgeous as she could have dreamed. It was made of daisies and sift pink tea roses. She smiled  
as she pulled it out of the box and compared it to the daises and roses in her hair. "Perfect.." she  
sighed.  
  
Quatre tightened his tie. Then he sighed and took it off. "I can't even get the tie right." He murmered.  
  
"Master Quatre, don't worry. Everything will be fine." Rashid replied. He smiled at Quatre. "You look so much like your father."  
  
For a second, Quatre felt the sadness of his father's death but then he pushed the thoughts away and grinned back at Rashid. "Thanks for helping me… I'm just so nervous."   
  
Minako sat down and sighed. "Stop it.." she said quietly to herself. She pictured Usagi, and the  
other girls. "No! I won't be sad! I'm going to be happy!" She straightened up and looked in  
the mirror. As she saw her reflection, she couldn't help but wipe a tear away from her eye. This  
was what she had always dreamed of, but one huge part of it was missing. Her friends...   
  
There was another knock at the door. "Come in.." she said gently.  
  
The door opened and Iria stepped inside. "Well, how's the bridee doing?" she asked cheerfully.  
  
Minako smiled. "Nervous as heck, but I think I'll live."  
  
Iria shook her head. "Don't worry! You'll do fine! Now come on, it's almost time!"  
  
Quatre straightened his jacket. Then he straightened his tie. "I look pathetic! Minako's going to see me looking like an idiot and leave!"  
  
Rashid grinned again. "Master Quatre you need to go out there now. You look great. Just calm down and say what the priest tells you to."  
  
"Thanks, Rashid." He smiled at him one more time, before leaving the room, and walking to the altar. There he waited for what seemed like years, for his love to come.  
  
Minako took in deep breaths as she stood and waited for her turn to walk down the aisle. She still couldn't keep her body from shaking.  
  
Iria placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Minako..... everything will be just fine."  
  
Minako shook her head. "But... what if I mess up? What if I trip and fall? What if say 'I do.' before it's time? What if I forget how to kiss when Quatre's supposed to kiss the bride?!?!"  
  
Iria just smiled. "Calm down, Minako. You'll do great. Just take it one step at a time."  
  
Minako smiled at her maid of honor and future sister-in-law. "Arigato.."  
  
Iria winked, then took her place in the line. "Go get 'em!" she said as she stepped out, marching down the aisle.  
  
Minako closed her eyes and took in one last deep breath. This was it. The time had finally come. She did regret the fact that her friends couldn't be here, but she was still happy. All she needed was Quatre. The onle thing that kept her going was knowing that he was waiting for her at the altar.  
  
Her eyes snapped open as the bride's march began to play. "This is it.." she whispered to herself. "Gomen ne, girls.... I wish you could be here to see this...."  
  
Quatre watched Minako with a look of pure love. Everyone else in the room was gone. It was just him and Minako. And they were getting married. Happiness poured out of his heart. 'I do…' he said to himself again. 'I really do… because I love you Minako…'  
  
Meanwhile, the other pilots were standing to the side of Quatre as his groomsmen, and Trowa, his Best Man. They noticed how fidgety Quatre was and had tried to calm him down, but nothing seemed to work. But the moment Minako walked into the room, the nervousness was gone, and he just stared at Minako with a goofy smile on his face.  
  
Minako sighed as she took Rashid's arm and started down the aisle. She had no one else to give  
her away, and Rashid was the closest thing to a father that Quatre had, so he was recruited. He  
happily accepted.  
  
Minako caught a glimpse of Quatre and smiled brighter than she ever had before. She had to be dreaming.  
  
Quatre kept repeating the words "I do" in a whisper.  
  
Rolling his eyes, Duo whapped him. "Quatre… calm down."  
  
A blush covered Quatre's cheeks. "I do…. I mean sorry."  
  
'Almost there..' Minako thought, 'Just a few more steps.' She looked at Quatre and smiled  
again. 'There!' she thought to herself as she reached the end of the aisle.  
  
'I do I do I do I do I do…' Quatre grinned at Minako. "I do." He said firmly.  
  
Duo hit his back. "Quatre, the vows haven't even started yet."  
  
Minako stifled a giggle as she took her place next to Quatre. She looked at him with love in her eyes. "Ready?" she whispered.  
  
"I do." Quatre replied.  
  
Minako giggled. "Not yet, silly!" she whispered.  
  
"…. I do? I mean… sorry." Quatre replied.  
  
"I'm impressed. Got him to say something besides I do. That's all I've heard him say all morning." Duo said, quiet so no one else could hear.  
  
Minako smiled at Duo. "Ssshh!!" she scolded.  
  
"Are you ready to begin the ceremony?" The priest asked, with a shaky voice.  
  
Minako raised an eyebrow at the priest. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Oh I'm quite fine, my dear. There was just a man who said that if anything went wrong with the ceremony I would be killed and I'm afraid I may have gotten a bit jittery. But all is well now." He cast a sideways glance at Hiiro.  
  
Minako smiled. "Don't worry. At our wedding, everything will be perfect." she looked over and  
smiled at Quatre.  
  
Quatre smiled back. "I do." He stated firmly.  
  
"A little eager, eh? Well then, shall I start now?" The Priest asked.  
  
"I do." Quatre said.  
  
Minako giggled and took Quatre's hand into hers. "Wait your turn, koi." she winked.  
  
"Let us begin then," The priest grinned, "Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to witness Quatre Reberba Winner and Minako Aino joining in holy matrimony."  
  
Duo began to yawn but got a death glare from Hiiro.  
  
Minako smiled and squeezed Quatre's hand. 'I can't believe that this is happening...' she  
thought happily.  
  
Quatre grinned back at Minako. 'I do I do I do I do…'  
  
"…If there are any objections speak now or forever hold your peace."  
  
Hiiro had his hand on his gun, which was placed firmly in his tuxedo's pocket.  
  
Minako squeezed her eyes shut. "If anyone even thinks about saying anything right now, they'll feel what Peridot did for his last moments...'  
  
There was silence.  
  
Duo looked like he was about to make a joke but Hiiro discreetly punched him in the stomach to humble him into silence. "Very well. Let us begin the vows."   
  
'Sugoi!' Minako thought. 'Quatre won't have any problems with this part!'  
  
'I do I do I do I do I do.' Quatre continued to think.  
  
"Do you have the rings?" The priest questioned.  
  
Quatre took a small jewelry box out of his tuxedo jacket and removed the wedding ring from within. It was just a plain band, but it would look beautiful next to his mother's ring.   
  
"Do you, Quatre Reberba Winner, take Minako Aino, as your loftily wedding wife, to have and to hold, to cherish and care for 'til death do you part?  
  
"I do." Quatre smiled at Minako as he took her hand into his and slipped the ring onto her finger  
  
Minako smiled and the priest went on.  
  
"And do you, Minako Aino, take Quatre Reberba Winner as your loftily wedded husband, to have and to hold, to cherish and to care for 'till death do you part?"  
  
"I do.." Minako smiled as she placed a ring onto Quatre's finger.  
  
The priest smiled. "You may now kiss the bride."  
  
Quatre kissed Minako gently and forgot about reality.  
  
Minako wrapped her arms around Quatre as they kissed and her heart soared. She was finally  
Quatre's wife.  
  
The Priest smiled and looked out to the rest of the people. "May I introduce to you, Mr. and  
Mrs. Quatre Winner."  
  
Duo got a sweatdrop as they continued to kiss. "Hey… come on guys… It's kiss the bride not make out with her in public… jeez… come up for air!"  
  
Minako gasped as she heard Duo's words and blushed.  
  
Quatre turned beat red.  
  
Hiiro pointed his gun at Duo. "Omae o korosu."  
  
"Now wait a minute, Hiiro," Duo said, with a big sweatdrop, "you don't want to ruin their wedding by killing me. How about later? I'm available next week."  
Minako giggled and smiled up at Quatre. "Aishiteru, my love."  
  
"Aishiteru…" Quatre replied, kissing her cheek.  
  
"Hey… Hiiro," Duo whined, "What does aishiteru mean?"  
  
"It means 'You're an idiot'." Hiiro muttered.  
  
"Well then, Hiiro, Aishiteru!" Duo spat.  
  
Minako winced as she heard Duo. "Anno... Duo.... that's not what it means..."  
  
Duo glared at Hiiro, "YOU LIAR!" he looked back at Minako. "Then what DOES it mean?"  
  
"It means... I love you..."  
  
"I thought it would be weird if you called Quatre an idiot and he called you one… but that would be for his honor so I guess that would be okay for him… HIIRO! YOU LIAAAAR! OMAE O KOROSU…. Or whatever it is you say!" Duo yelled.  
  
Hiiro blinked. "He got it right…"  
  
Minako let out an aggravated sigh. "Are they always like this?" she asked Quatre.  
  
Quatre grinned. "Except when we're in the middle of battle." He explained.  
  
"Like what? Handsome? Mature? Intelligent?" Duo asked. "Or just plain perfect? Of course we're all that in battle too…"  
  
Minako sweatdropped. "I.. think that the limo is waiting.."  
  
"I hope so…" Quatre replied.  
  
"Of course it could also be wonderful… generous… or maybe modest? Was it modest?" Duo questioned.  
  
Minako sighed and rested her head against Quatre's shoulder.  
  
"We just have the banquet and we can go." Quatre kissed her. "You look tired."  
  
Minako nodded. "I am, but I'm happier than I could possibly imagine."  
  
"You don't need to imagine, koishii." He kissed her again.  
  
Minako smiled. "So what are we waiting for?"  
  
"Nothing." He offered her his arm. "Everyone else waits for us."  
  
Minako hooked her arm through his and sighed. "Minako Winner.... I love the sound of that.."  
  
"Me too." Quatre replied. He led her back down the aisle.  
  
"Do we get cake now?" Duo asked.  
  
Minako giggled. "In good time, Duo! In good time!"  
  
"I LOOOVE cake." Duo said, happily. "Cake has sugar."  
  
"Did you remember to get the cake with Nutra-Sweet, koi?" she whispered to Quatre.  
  
Quatre nodded. "Sorry, Duo."  
  
"Aw, Quatre… I thought we were friends…" Duo looked heart broken. "Oh well… I'm sure I could just stop somewhere for coffee…"  
  
"NO!!"  
  
"Fine then… just-just leave me here all alone! With no REAL friends… and… ALL ALONE WITHOUT SUGAR… or caffine… I'll just go now… and bug Hiiro… that might make me feel better." Duo walked away towards Hiiro, who did not look pleased with this.  
  
Minako giggled. "They must be a handful, ne?"  
  
Quatre smiled. "A very large handful…"  
  
"Oh well, you manage, ne?" she giggled.  
  
"I guess… I must be stronger than I thought." He kissed her, smiling brightly.  
  
Minako looked around and saw poor Duo pouting and glaring. "I think we'd better get to the reception before he goes Shinigami on us."  
  
"Shinigami just ain't the same without coffee." Duo sniffed.   
  
"Well, there's always decaf!" Minako smiled as she started outside.  
  
"Decafe? That's like throwing a party with no one invited!"  
  
Minako let out an aggravated sigh. "Duo, we'd better get to the reception before the cake is all  
gone!"  
  
"AHHH! RUN!" Duo ran into the reception room with a great speed.  
  
"He's in good shape." Hiiro commented, his eyes shining.  
  
Minako giggled and wrapped her arms around Quatre. "Ready?"  
  
He kissed her. "If you are."  
  
  
  
Minako smiled as her eyes fell on the room. There were hundreds of happy people, celebrating  
their marriage. She forced back a frown and decided not to think about how much she wanted  
her friends to be there.  
  
Quatre kissed her cheek. "Aishiteru…" he whispered in her ear, as if no one else knew. (^^*) "We sit over there." He explained, pointing to the largest table.  
  
Minako sighed happily as they made their way to the table. "Quatre, this is so beautiful!"  
  
"Not nearly as beautiful as you." Quatre kissed her again. (A bit corny… maybe?)  
  
"You're way too good to me, Quatre." she smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
He led her over to the table and pulled out her chair for her. "Milady." He grinned and began blushing at his forwardness.  
  
Minako kissed Quatre's cheek before sitting down. "Thank you, kind sir." she smiled.  
  
Quatre sat down next to her and stared at the food. Suddenly, he wasn't so hungry. Something felt out of place. 'It's just my dad,' he told himself, 'Nothing's wrong. I just miss him.'  
  
Minako looked at Quatre concerned. "Koi?" she gently placed a hand on his arm. "What's  
wrong?"  
  
"Nothing… I just miss my dad…" He smiled to reassure her. "Nothing's wrong."  
  
Minako frowned. "I'm sorry, Quatre... we can go home now if you like..."  
  
"No… it's nothing…" He kissed her cheek. "It just… feels wrong…" Quatre thought for a moment. "Unless…"  
  
"Hello, young pilot. It seems my invitation got lost in the mail. But that's okay, I came anyway. Took me awhile to heal from the wound but I forgive you. Of course, I'll still need to get revenge, so…" Dem (y'know Dark-eyed man? From way long ago….not really that long… he still doesn't have a name…^^*) aimed his gun at Quatre, "You're coming with me. You and the rest of these Gundam hiretsukan!"  
  
Minako stood straight up. "NO!!!"  
  
Hiiro reached for his gun and Dem fired a bullet to the left of Quatre's head, slicing his face. It was a minor cut, but was bleeding a good amount.  
  
"Slide your guns over to me," Dem ordered, "Or your friend dies."  
  
"Just shoot him, Hiiro," Quatre stated, looking very solemn, "Kill him… Better one life than five."  
  
"He'll shoot you." Hiiro replied, glaring at Dem.  
  
"Shoot him, Hiiro. He'll kill us all anyway."   
  
Minako gasped in shock. "What's going on?!?! Why are you doing this?!" she demanded. "This is our WEDDING DAY for Kami-sama's sake!!"  
  
Dem grinned at her, "Death knows not the day only who to take. I will not stand for them to live. Oh, but congratulations anyway." He laughed.  
  
Minako let out a frustrated growl and thrust her hand up in the air. "I won't let you take them!   
Venus Power!! MAKE-UP!!!"  
  
Dem shot off a bullet at Quatre again, this time grazing his other cheek. "Stay back, ikeike! Or I'll shoot your boyfriend here into the next world."  
  
Venus' eyes widened. She didn't know what she should do. "Onegai!!" she begged. "Leave  
us!! If you take them, I WILL find you and I WILL kill you!" she shouted, enraged.  
  
With a roll of his eyes, Dem shrugged, "If the pilots are dead than I will have served my purpose in life anyway."  
  
Quatre stared at his love with a smile upon his face. "Mina-chan. Aishiteru…" A tear slid down his face. "Eien aishiteru…"  
  
"No...." she stepped in front of Quatre. "You can't do this... I won't let you!"  
  
"Mina-chan…" Quatre kissed her cheek. "Sayonara…" He pushed her away with all of his strength so that she fell to the side. Quickly, he brought up his gun and shot Dem.  
  
Dem grabbed his bleeding stomach, but smiled. "Just like old times, eh?" He shot Quatre in the heart.  
  
Quatre fell back to the floor.  
  
"QUATRE!!!!" Minako screamed in disbelief, "NO!!!" she picked herself up off the floor and  
ran over to him.  
  
Quatre stared ahead of himself for a second with a look of disbelief. Then, slowly, he stood up and reached into his tuxedo's breast pocket {no snide jokes- that's what the pocket's called}. His hand came out with a small picture frame. He kissed the picture.  
  
Minako's jaw nearly hit the ground. "Quatre! You're all right!" She smiled, wiping away the  
remaining tears.  
  
"Mother…" he said, smiling at the picture, "Arigato…" He kissed Minako. "Are you okay?… I'm sorry… for pushing you…"  
  
Minako smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around her love. "Don't be sorry, Quatre! Just  
stay alive!" she glared at Dem. "Leave now, or feel the wrath of a sailor senshi.... it's NOT  
something that you'd like to experience."  
  
Dem just smiled back at her, looking very weak and tired. "My dear lady, I'm afraid I cannot leave. Even if I wished to… Now comes the end of my life. Which I will happily give up for OZ…" He chuckled. "And here I thought I was immortal…" Still smiling, he closed his eyes, and left this world forever.  
  
Minako breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms tighter around Quatre. "Finally.." she sighed. "It's finally over....."  
  
She glanced down at herself then closed her eyes as her sailor fuku changed back into her wedding dress, then she looked out at all the shocked people and laughed nervously. "Guess the secret's out now, ne?"  
  
Quatre took her hand. "So is ours…" He looked towards the ground.  
  
Minako placed her hand gently under Quatre's chin and lifted his face up so that his eyes met hers. "Don't worry, koibito.... we're together.... everything will be all right."  
  
Tears wavered in Quatre's eyes but refused to fall. "I don't want you to leave…"  
  
"NO... Quatre, don't talk about that..... I won't leave... I can't."  
  
"Aishiteru, Minako…" Quatre kissed her again. "And I will be happy for you." 


	13. Chapter Twelve - Final Chapter

Notes: okie...ff.net was mean...I have to split this up..enjoy!  
  
  
  
******2 weeks later******  
  
Minako hummed happily to herself as she skipped down the stairs and into the sitting room  
where she saw Quatre playing his violin. She walked up next to him and listened to him play,  
smiling.  
  
Quatre heard Minako enter the room but tried to concentrate on finishing the song. (If you play an instrument than you know how ANNOYING it is when people enter the room and interrupt you playing!) She seemed to want to hear him playing, so he wouldn't stop.  
  
Minako smiled and sat down across from him, and sighed at the beautiful music. Closing her  
eyes, she sat back and thought about how happy she was. Her life couldn't get any better than  
this.  
  
As the song ended, Quatre set his violin down on the table. "Is there something you needed, koishii?"  
  
Minako smiled. "Just you, koibito. I hope I didn't disturb you."  
  
"Of course not." He kissed her gently. "Oh… I got something for you…" He took a small box off of the table and handed it to her.  
  
Minako took the box and opened it carefully, gasping when she saw what was inside. She  
gasped as she pulled out a golden locket. "Oh, Quatre! This is beautiful!"  
  
Quatre blushed a bright red. "It… reminded me of you… I thought maybe… when you go… you could maybe think of me…"  
  
Minako's eyes filled with tears at his words. She opened the locket, and the tears started falling  
down her cheeks. Inside was a picture of them on their wedding day. "Quatre... I could never  
forget you. I'll be thinking of you every minute of every day......" she wiped away some tears  
and tried to cheer up, "Besides, we don't even know when.... or if I'll be going back." she said  
hopefully.  
  
Quatre sighed. "As much as I love you, Mina-chan… you aren't meant to be here… Your friends need you in your world." He smiled at her, sadly. "Maybe even more than I need you in mine…"  
  
Minako shook her head. "But I need you more than anything........ Why does it have to be this  
way?! It's not fair!" she sobbed.  
  
Quatre took her into his arms. "But it's not fair to your friends if you're here…" His voice cracked and his own tears began to fall.  
  
Minako wrapped her arms around Quatre. "I can't leave you, koibito...... I won't survive..."  
  
"You must survive," he replied, "so that one day we can meet again…"  
  
"But what can I do until then?" she sobbed quietly, "I need you.."  
  
He kissed her forehead. "Admire airplanes. They're far before their time." He smiled through his tears. "Just be happy, koishii."  
  
"I can't...."  
  
"Mina-chan… Aishiteru…" Quatre brushed her hair with his hand. "Just remember that and for that reason find the will to live."  
  
"Aishiteru......"  
  
Quatre pulled her closer and kissed her, "Aishiteru…"  
  
Minako closed her eyes and deepend the kiss, pouring all of her love into it. Suddenly, she felt a  
deep pain in her soul. Like something had been ripped away from her. She opened her eyes,  
looked at her surroundings, and fell to her knees, letting out a wail of anguish.  
  
Quatre looked ahead of him at the empty room. "Minako…" He looked around him. "No… not yet… Kami-sama no… MINAKO!" He screamed.  
  
Minako's body shook as she clenched her fists together. "NO!!! This can't be happening!!!"  
  
"MINAKO!" He screamed again. "NOOOO!"  
  
Rashid ran into the room and took his master's hand. "Master Quatre…?"  
  
"Rashid… Minako… She's gone…"  
  
The door suddenly burst open and Usagi came running in. "MINAKO?!?!" she asked, her voice  
full of shock.  
  
Minako nodded. "Hai...."  
  
"Minako! We've been so worried about you!! Where have you been?!?!"  
  
Minako shook her head. "Gomen nasai, Usagi-chan..... I need to be alone right now..."   
  
Usagi stared at her friend, confused, but nodded her head. "All right... but, let me know if you  
need anything."  
  
Minako nodded, not bothering to look up at Usagi or even thank her. Usagi left the room  
quietly as Minako curled up against the wall and sobbed quietly. "...Quatre...."  
  
"She's gone… gone Rashid… already…" Quatre sobbed. "IT'S TOO SOON!"  
  
Rashid sad his young master down on the couch. "You knew she would leave eventually, master…"  
  
"I know… I'm sorry… but she's gone… I didn't think it would be this soon…"  
  
"You know Master Quatre, some people wait their entire lives to fall in love, and some never do. But you have known love, and it makes you that much stronger against the world. When she returns, you will be waiting. Always be ready, master, for fate likes to play tricks." Rashid said. (Never knew that guy was so wise ^^*)  
  
Quatre smiled at Rashid. "Thank you… I will be ready, my friend. I will wait for her, even in heaven if I must wait that long."  
  
Usagi turned on her communicator and called the other girls. "Minna, meet me at Rei's temple  
at once!"  
  
She ran off to Rei's temple to let everyone know that Mina was home.  
  
*meanwhile*  
Hours had passed, and Minako had since stopped crying. She had no more tears left to cry. She just sat and stared at the picture in her locket. "Quatre..." she whispered. She turned the locket  
over and noticed something that she hadn't noticed before. It was an inscription.  
  
"Our love surpasses all time and dimensions. Nothing can separate us. Remember, and one day,  
we will meet again." she read aloud in a shaky voice.  
  
She sat there for a few minutes, just staring at the inscription. Then, remembering Quatre's  
words, she closed her eyes. "I will live on, Quatre... I will survive so that one day, we may meet  
again."  
  
The End 


End file.
